cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Octogenarian With Acute Epigastric Pain: More Than Meets the Eye.

Question: An 84-year-old woman with a history of dementia and gastroesophageal reflux disease presented to the emergency department with several hours of worsening chest and epigastric pain associated with nausea and vomiting. Upon arrival she was hypertensive to 218/110 mm Hg and had a low-grade fever of 37.8 C. Physical examination was remarkable for epigastric tenderness in a cachectic, elderly woman with mild cognitive impairment. Electrocardiogram and cardiac enzymes ruled out acute coronary syndrome. Further evaluation revealed leukocytosis to 16.1 10/L and markedly abnormal serum liver tests with aspartate aminotransferase of 632 U/L, alanine aminotransferase of 548 U/L, alkaline phosphatase of 309 U/L, and total of bilirubin 1.9 mg/dL. Lipase was at the upper limit of normal. A chest radiograph showed a diaphragmatic hernia without evidence of free air (Figure A). Abdominal ultrasonography showed multiple small choleliths (without signs of acute cholecystitis) and mildly dilated extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. Cross-sectional imaging was subsequently obtained (Figure B and C) and demonstrated a “double-duct sign” (Figure C), a large diaphragmatic hernia, and an additional critical finding. Based on this patient’s symptoms, serum biochemical tests, and imaging findings, what is the likely etiology of her acute clinical presentation? See the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Analysis of Linguistic Style Accommodation in Online Debates

Psycholinguistic phenomenon of communication accommodation (Giles et al., 1991) is probably one of the most important contributions in the interdisciplinary field of linguistics, psychology, information, and communication theory. Existing works have applied this theory to various domains like gesture, linguistics, backchannels, and even social media like tweets. In this work, we analyze the psycholinguistic phenomenon of linguistic style accommodation in online debates. First, we present a Joint Topic Expression (JTE) model for modeling debate posts and use it to generate our unique dataset for studying accommodation in debates. Specifically, we analyze the phenomenon across agreeing/disagreeing debating pairs generated using our JTE model. Second, we propose a formal framework for analyzing the linguistic phenomena of accommodation in online debates. Experiments on a large collection of real-life debate posts reveal very interesting insights about the complex phenomenon of psycholinguistic accommodation in online debates.
Why Nature Chose Selenium

The authors were asked by the Editors of ACS Chemical Biology to write an article titled “Why Nature Chose Selenium” for the occasion of the upcoming bicentennial of the discovery of selenium by the Swedish chemist Jons Jacob Berzelius in 1817 and styled after the famous work of Frank Westheimer on the biological chemistry of phosphate [Westheimer, F. H. (1987) Why Nature Chose Phosphates, Science 235, 1173–1178]. This work gives a history of the important discoveries of the biological processes that selenium participates in, and a point-by-point comparison of the chemistry of selenium with the atom it replaces in biology, sulfur. This analysis shows that redox chemistry is the largest chemical difference between the two chalcogens. This difference is very large for both one-electron and two-electron redox reactions. Much of this difference is due to the inability of selenium to form π bonds of all types. The outer valence electrons of selenium are also more loosely held than those of sulfur. As a result,...
Critical point coupling and proximity effects in 4He at the superfluid transition.

We report measurements of the superfluid fraction ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}/\ensuremath{\rho}$ and specific heat ${c}_{p}$ near the superfluid transition of $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ when confined in an array of $(2\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}{)}^{3}$ boxes at a separation of $S=2\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ and coupled through a 32.5 nm film. We find that ${c}_{p}$ is strongly enhanced when compared with data where coupling is not present. An analysis of this excess signal shows that it is proportional to the finite-size correlation length in the boxes $\ensuremath{\xi}(t,L)$, and it is measurable as far as $S/\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremath{\sim}30\ensuremath{-}50$. We obtain $\ensuremath{\xi}(0,L)$ and the scaling function (within a constant) for $\ensuremath{\xi}(t,L)$ in an ${L}^{3}$ box geometry. Furthermore, we find that ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}/\ensuremath{\rho}$ of the film persists a full decade closer to the bulk transition temperature ${T}_{\ensuremath{\lambda}}$ than a film uninfluenced by proximity effects. This excess in ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}/\ensuremath{\rho}$ is measurable even when $S/\ensuremath{\xi}g100$, which cannot be understood on the basis of mean field theory.
The Net Present Value of Market Share

This article evaluates the dynamic interaction of market share and profit. The determinants of market share are compared with published empirical research and illustrated in a consumer product indu...
The Supreme Court and the Federal System: Federalism from Warren to Burger

The Framers of the Constitution of the United States can be lauded for many achievements. Not the least of these is the federal system that they devised in order to solve the grave deficiencies which existed under the Confederation. The Framers fashioned a unique form of federalism which consisted of two independent levels of government exercising powers allocated by the written Constitution. The national government was authorized to act directly upon the people of the nation to carry out its functions while each state government acted upon the people within the state, for individuals are citizens of both a state and the United States.
Letting All Lives Speak: Inequality in Art Education and Baumgarten's Felix Aestheticus.

The article takes as its starting point the 2012 National Center for Education Statistics report that showed a clear statistical equity divide in access to art education. The article offers a philosophical examination of Alexander Baumgarten’s concept of the felix aestheticus. Using the theories of Jacques Ranciere, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Johann von Goethe for support, it offers a theoretical frame to the aspect of the self that is lost when art education is removed as compulsory for all children. The article seeks to contribute to the theories that art educators and policy makers might draw on when making justifications for providing arts programming to low-income children. Finally, this article seeks to begin to offer the art educator practical insight into the kind of knowing that cultivating the felix aestheticus may yield for the child and makes recommendations for policy approaches.
Etiology and histogenesis of endometriosis

Based on the available scientific evidence, the mechanism of developing endometriosis appears to be transplantation of viable endometrial cell fragments shed during menses and regurgitated through the fallopian tubes under the influence of prostaglandin-mediated uterine contractions. As all women apparently retrograde menstruate to some extent, it is not surprising that circumstances which increase the total number of menstrual days experienced have been clinically associated with endometriosis. Similarly, factors which lead to relative uterine outflow obstruction have been associated with a higher incidence of endometriosis. There is virtually no other scientific evidence supporting alternate mechanisms of development of endometriosis. There are many unanswered questions regarding endometriosis including: 1) Are all women equally susceptible to development of the disease? 2) As the clinical presentation and course is extremely variable, what factors influence these events? 3) Does medical suppression of ovulation with oral contraceptives or continuous progestins provide a protective effect? 4) Are there systemic immunologic changes associated with endometriosis? Hopefully, this manuscript will help stimulate the next generation of clinical investigators to address these questions, as they are of paramount importance with this apparently increasingly devastating and frequent clinical disease.
Perinatal human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The epidemiology of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus infection and the early diagnosis and management of human immunodeficiency virus infection in the pregnant woman and her newborn infant are discussed. Currently recommended therapies and therapies under investigation are reviewed. Recommendations are made for the management of the delivery, infant feeding practices, and the baby in the newborn nursery.
Potassium Uptake Modulates Staphylococcus aureus Metabolism

ABSTRACT As a leading cause of community-associated and nosocomial infections, Staphylococcus aureus requires sophisticated mechanisms that function to maintain cellular homeostasis in response to its exposure to changing environmental conditions. The adaptation to stress and maintenance of homeostasis depend largely on membrane activity, including supporting electrochemical gradients and synthesis of ATP. This is largely achieved through potassium (K+) transport, which plays an essential role in maintaining chemiosmotic homeostasis, affects antimicrobial resistance, and contributes to fitness in vivo. Here, we report that S. aureus Ktr-mediated K+ uptake is necessary for maintaining cytoplasmic pH and the establishment of a proton motive force. Metabolite analyses revealed that K+ deficiency affects both metabolic and energy states of S. aureus by impairing oxidative phosphorylation and directing carbon flux toward substrate-level phosphorylation. Taken together, these results underline the importance of K+ uptake in maintaining essential components of S. aureus metabolism. IMPORTANCE Previous studies describing mechanisms for K+ uptake in S. aureus revealed that the Ktr-mediated K+ transport system was required for normal growth under alkaline conditions but not under neutral or acidic conditions. This work focuses on the effect of K+ uptake on S. aureus metabolism, including intracellular pH and carbon flux, and is the first to utilize a pH-dependent green fluorescent protein (GFP) to measure S. aureus cytoplasmic pH. These studies highlight the role of K+ uptake in supporting proton efflux under alkaline conditions and uncover a critical role for K+ uptake in establishing efficient carbon utilization.
Effects of using reduced volumes of nonselective enrichment medium in methods for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from raw beef.

Recent work from our laboratory revealed that tryptic soy broth (TSB) was a superior enrichment medium for use in test-and-hold Escherichia coli 0157:H7 methods at levels down to a ratio of three volumes of medium to one volume of sample. Lower ratios were examined for their effect on results obtained from culture isolation, the BAX E. coli 0157:H7 MP assay, and the Assurance GDS E. coli 0157:H7 assay. Ground beef and boneless beef trim were inoculated with a high level (170 CFU/65 g of ground beef and 43 CFU/65 g of trim) and a low level (17 CFU/65 g of ground beef and 4 CFU/65 g of trim) of E. coli 0157:H7 and enriched in 3, 1, 0.5, and 0 volumes of TSB. The volume of TSB used did not affect E. coli 0157:H7 detection by culture isolation, Assurance GDS detection in ground beef or trim, or the BAX MP assay detection in ground beef. However, BAX MP assay detection of E. coli 0157:H7 in beef trim was 50, 42, and 33% positive when enrichment volumes of 0.5X, 1X, and 3X, respectively, were used. Optimum results with all methods were obtained using 1 volume of TSB. We concluded that detection test results can be considered valid as long as enrichment medium is used, even when it is less than the specified 3 or 10 volumes.
Virtual Environments as Communication Technologies of Faith

His paper analyzes virtual environments (V.E.’s) as possible technologies for the communication of the belief system known as the Christian faith. V.E. technologies are computer-generated, 3D-appearing, multi-sensorial, interactive, graphical simulations. Some V.E.’s, such as virtual reality (V.R.), some augmented reality (A.R.), and desktop digital games with head-mounted displays (H.M.D.’s), are immersive technologies, while other V.E.’s, such as desktop digital games without H.M.D.’s and some A.R., are not immersive technologies. These technologies may be considered communication technologies because they communicate or represent reality. The faith that has been, and can be, communicated is multi-dimensional and consists of sensory information, thoughts, and a variety of emotions. The first-hand study of immersive V.E.’s, although not the “dominant means of communication” as the bound book has been for Christianity (Lundby 2013), might be able to reveal that V.E.’s can communicate dimensions of the faith that earlier technologies have been unable to do.
LIML Estimation Methods

As we pointed out in the previous chapter. LIML is an estimation procedure that uses a priori information pertaining only to the equation (or equations) whose parameters we are interested in estimating. A priori restrictions on the parameters of the remaining equations are completely ignored.
The Effects of Resisting Media and Other Rotating Beam Parameter Changes on the Fundamental Frequency of Bending Vibrations

The mathematical model of bending vibration of rotating beam has been determined in the presence of resisting media. The solutions to the differential equations are obtained by successive approximation of the elastic line shape function, and compared with the results obtained in the first approximation. It has been found that the natural frequency of bending vibration decreases as the media resistance increases. The mathematical model obtained in this paper can be used to determine numerically the effects of other blade parameters such as setting angle, rotating speed, ratio of hub-radious and beam length, and media constant
Clearwater: an extensible, pliable, and customizable approach to code generation

Since the advent of RPC Stub Generator, Software tools that translate a high level specification into executable programs have been instrumental in facilitating the development of distributed software systems. Developers write programs at a high level abstraction with high readability and reduced initial development cost. However, existing approaches to building code generation tools for such systems have difficulties evolving these tools to meet challenges of new standards, new platforms and languages, or changing product scopes, resulting in generator tools with limited lifespan. The difficulties in evolving generator tools can be characterized as a combination of three challenges that appear inherently difficult to solve simultaneously: the abstraction mapping challenge translating a high-level abstraction into a low-level implementation), the interoperable heterogeneity challenge stemming from multiple input and output formats, and the flexible customization challenge to extend base functionality for evolution or new applications. The Clearwater approach to code generation uses XML-based technologies and Software tools to resolve these three challenges with three important code generation features: specification extensibility, whereby an existing specification format can accommodate extensions or variations at low cost; generator pliability, which allows the generator to operator on an extensible specification and/or support multiple and new platforms; and flexible customization, which allows an application developer to make controlled changes to the output of a code generator to support application-specific goals. The presentation will outline the Clearwater approach and apply it to meet the above three challenges in two domain areas. The first area is information flow applications (e.g., multimedia streaming and event processing), a horizontal domain in which the ISG code generator creates QoS-customized communication code using the Infopipe abstraction and specification language. The second area is enterprise application staging (e.g., complex N-tier distributed applications), a vertical domain in which the Mulini code generator creates multiple types of source code supporting automatic staging of distributed heterogeneous applications in a data center environment. The success of applying Clearwater to these domains Shows the effectiveness of our approach.
Hardware security meets biometrics for the age of IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a concept that involves connecting endpoint devices and physical objects to the Internet. While IoT is envisioned to dramatically increase convenience in our daily lives, it could also result in catastrophic economic and safety issues. Considering the applications envisioned for IoT (smart cities, homes, retail, etc.), security must be handled with great care and should start from the bottom up (i.e., from the hardware level). As a good deal of IoT devices require interaction between devices and humans, biometrics provide an interesting opportunity for improving both the convenience and security in IoT applications. In this paper, we consider the potential benefits and challenges associated with incorporating biometrics into IoT. We combine novel biometrics, such as ECG and PPG, and system-level obfuscation approaches to prevent reverse engineering, tampering and unauthorized access of IoT devices and other electronic systems. Our preliminary results are promising and motivate future work in this area.
Responding to challenging interactions with families: A training module for inpatient oncology nurses.

Introduction Sustaining the well-being of the caregiving family is a critical agenda in cancer care. In the multidisciplinary team, nurses often serve as a bridge between the family and oncology team. Evidence suggests that dealing with difficult family dynamics is a common source of stress for oncology nurses, yet nurses typically receive very little guidance on how to achieve an effective partnership with families under these circumstances. We report on the application and preliminary evaluation of a new training module for improving nurses' skills in responding collaborative to challenging family situations. Method Training was delivered to 282 inpatient oncology nurses at a comprehensive cancer center over 2 years. Posttraining surveys measured perceived changes in confidence working with families, as well as the utility and relevance of this training. A 6-month follow-up survey measured continued use of skills. Results Of the nurses, 75%-90% reported that the skills learned were useful and relevant to their setting. Retrospective pre-post ratings suggested increased confidence in managing stressful encounters with families. Discussion Further investigation is needed to observe how nurses transport these skills into their practice settings and to understand the role of the nurse-as-family champion within the larger multidisciplinary team. (PsycINFO Database Record
Improving Patient Safety: Integrating Data Visualization and Communication Into Icu Workflow to Reduce Cognitive Load

A decade of emerging bedside information-visualization devices and clinical decision-support systems has provided intensive care unit (ICU) clinicians with a range of tools that display and intelligently filter data in ways that support patient diagnosis. There is an absence, however, of research that adequately addresses the need for visualization tools (related to context-sensitive information) that can reduce cognitive strain during decision-making. In response to this issue, Medical Information Visualization Assistant (MIVA) was designed to contextually organize patient longitudinal data with visual-enhancing tools for easy, rapid and more accurate analysis/interpretation of real-time patient data. MIVA was envisioned as an electronic medical record (EMR) visualization dashboard to reduce cognitive load and related diagnostic error. The current design phase will include communication tools to enhance MIVA's capacity to support ICU team collaboration. In this paper we describe two studies of MIVA that ...
Abstract IA02: Cancer genomics: Translational challenges

The use of next-generation sequencing and analysis has become the standard approach to studying cancer genomics in the research setting. The knowledge gained has been considerable across multiple tumor types, in many ways changing our perceptions about the genomic basis for cancer. Coincident with this new information is the continuing development and introduction of targeted therapies for cancer treatment. Bringing these two developments together is exciting and challenging for numerous reasons. My talk will focus on some of the challenges that are commonly faced, on the decision-support tools and databases we are creating to help with these challenges, and the ways in which the clinical cancer expert can contribute to these tools. Citation Format: Malachi Griffith, Obi Griffith, Nicholas Spies, Benjamin Ainscough, Zachary Skidmore, Lee Trani, Avinash Ramu, Killanin Krysiak, Elaine R. Mardis. Cancer genomics: Translational challenges. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translation of the Cancer Genome; Feb 7-9, 2015; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(22 Suppl 1):Abstract nr IA02.
The Potential of Small Molecules in Preventing Tau Oligomer Formation and Toxicity

Abstract The accumulation of pathological protein deposits, amyloids, in neurodegenerative disease represents a formidable challenge for drug development. With no effective treatment in sight, and recent findings suggesting that protein aggregates are diverse, dynamic, and capable of spreading, it is crucial that researchers find safe and successful therapeutic approaches that target the most toxic amyloid species. The pathological aggregation of microtubule-associated protein tau has been identified as a critical factor in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. More evidence continues to come to light to suggest that soluble, intermediate tau aggregates—tau oligomers—are the most toxic species in disease and may be responsible for the spread of pathology, rather than neurofibrillary tangles, the primary tauopathy hallmark, suggesting that oligomeric tau may be the best therapeutic target. Here we discuss the potential of small molecules in preventing amyloid and tau oligomer toxicity and future directions.
Alpha-Band Oscillations Enable Spatially and Temporally Resolved Tracking of Covert Spatial Attention

Covert spatial attention is essential for humans’ ability to direct limited processing resources to the relevant aspects of visual scenes. A growing body of evidence suggests that rhythmic neural activity in the alpha frequency band (8–12 Hz) tracks the spatial locus of covert attention, which suggests that alpha activity is integral to spatial attention. However, extant work has not provided a compelling test of another key prediction: that alpha activity tracks the temporal dynamics of covert spatial orienting. In the current study, we examined the time course of spatially specific alpha activity after central cues and during visual search. Critically, the time course of this activity tracked trial-by-trial variations in orienting latency during visual search. These findings provide important new evidence for the link between rhythmic brain activity and covert spatial attention, and they highlight a powerful approach for tracking the spatial and temporal dynamics of this core cognitive process.
The P2X7 receptor is an upstream regulator of dynamic blebbing and a pluripotency marker in human embryonic stem cells

New methods are needed to reduce dynamic blebbing which inhibits cell attachment and survival during passaging of pluripotent stem cells. We tested the hypothesis that activation of the P2X7 receptor by extracellular ATP during passaging initiates dynamic blebbing. The P2X7 receptor was present in human embryonic stem cells (hESC), but not in differentiating cells. Extracellular ATP concentrations were 14× higher in medium during passaging. Addition of ATP to culture medium prolonged dynamic blebbing and inhibited attachment. Inhibition of P2X7 by specific drugs or by siRNA significantly reduced dynamic blebbing and improved cell attachment. When cells were incubated in calcium chelators (EGTA or BAPTA), blebbing decreased and attachment improved. Calcium influx was observed using Fura-4 when ATP was added to culture medium and inhibited in the presence of the P2X7 inhibitor. Over-expressing activated Rac in hESC reduced blebbing and promoted cell attachment, while a Rac inhibitor prolonged blebbing and reduced attachment. These data identify a pathway involving P2X7 that initiates and prolongs dynamic blebbing during hESC passaging. This pathway provides new insight into factors that increase dynamic blebbing and identifies new targets, such as P2X7, that can be used to improve the culture of cells with therapeutic potential.
Dynamic structural response of reinforced concrete dry storage casks subjected to impact considering material degradation

Abstract The performance of vertical concrete casks (VCC) for storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under hypothetical accident conditions is of particular importance given the planned extensions of service-lives of such structures in the absence of a permanent disposal solution. Numerical models are created in this paper to simulate the structural response of a generic VCC in the cases of end-drop (handling drop) and tip-over considering material degradation. A concrete damage plasticity model (CDP) was calibrated using standard material tests to capture the non-linear behavior of concrete. Similarly, the steel properties and the properties of the soil supporting the cask foundation were based on material test data. The finite element models (FEM) were validated using experimental data from end-drop and tip-over tests of a 1/3-scale VCC performed by the same authors and reported elsewhere. The numerical results are compared with the experimental measurements in terms of velocity, acceleration, damage, and failure modes to gain confidence in the numerical results. Thereafter, a push-over analysis method was proposed and performed on the VCC for the first time to investigate the effect of different levels of material degradation on the structural response of VCC. The reduction in the concrete reinforcing steel area and bond degradation due to corrosion, and concrete strength reduction due to effects such as alkali-silica reactivity were considered as the variables for the parametric analysis. The results are interpreted to understand the changes in the performance of VCC in the long-term when subjected to hypothetical accident conditions in comparison to intact as built conditions.
The likelihood of social choice violations in rank sum scoring: algorithms and evidence from NCAA cross country running

Recent contributions have used combinatorial algorithms to determine the likelihood of particular social choice violations in rank sum scoring. Given the broad importance of rank sum scoring (e.g., in non-parametric statistical testing, sporting competition, and mathematical competition), it is important to establish the level of ambiguity generated by this aggregation rule. Combinatorial likelihoods are naive, however, in that they assume each possible outcome sequence for an event to be equally likely. We develop a computational algorithm to extend upon previous combinatorial results as to the likelihood of a violation of transitivity or independence in rank sum scoring. We use a similar computational scoring approach to analyze the empirically-observed likelihood of each such violation across fourteen NCAA Cross Country Championships. Within the data, rank sum scoring fails to specify a robust winning team (i.e., one that also rank sum wins against each possible subset of opponents) in 4 of 14 cases. Overall, we find that empirical likelihoods of social choice violations are consistently (significantly) overestimated by combinatorial expectations. In the NCAA data, we find correlated ability (quality) levels within team (group) and discuss this as a cause of lower empirical likelihoods. Combinatorial analysis proves reliable in predicting the order of empirical likelihoods across violation type and event setting.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Assessment in a Family Medicine Residency Clinic

Introduction Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a major source of added calories in the American diet, with significant adverse health outcomes. However, intake of SSBs is not commonly assessed in the clinical setting. In some populations with health disparities there is a higher consumption of caloric beverages, contributing to increased cardiometabolic risk. Family medicine residency clinics often provide services for the underserved population, and may encounter additional barriers in nutritional assessment. Methods Our study, conducted at a residency clinic in Omaha, Nebraska, utilized the abbreviated Beverage Intake Questionnaire 15 (BEVQ-15). We surveyed 310 patients over a 3-month period. Results Consumption of SSBs in our sample was significantly higher than that of the nonclinic population of Nebraska (P<0.001). Fifty-six percent of resident clinic respondents reportedly consumed at least one SSB daily, resulting in an average intake of 244 kilocalories. Intake was significantly higher in males, younger patients, those with lower socioeconomic status, and Latinos. While the majority of the study population was obese, there was no direct correlation between weight and SSB intake. The survey required less than 3 minutes to complete. Future interventions may focus on reduction of SSB intake and promotion of water consumption. Conclusions Assessment of SSB intake in a family medicine residency clinic can be easily conducted, providing opportunities for clinical providers to suggest patient-specific modifiable behaviors. As the obesity epidemic continues to progress, point-of-care intervention to reduce SSB consumption may help reduce cardiometabolic risk and improve health outcomes.
On Spirituality and Teaching

More than a hundred years ago William James called the attention of teachers to what he termed a “pathological anaesthesia” to the magic of the world. More recently, David Purpel has written of a moral and spiritual crisis in education, and Robert Coles has called for the development of “a day-to-day attentiveness...that touches all spheres of activity.” Yet nowhere in either pedagogical literature or practice do we find a concern to develop such qualities of life in teachers, even though it is obvious that, if spirituality is desired, then those who live the spiritual life, however narrowly, are likely to be better teachers than those who merely know about it, however much.
Clinical trial registration and reporting: a survey of academic organizations in the United States.

Many clinical trials conducted by academic organizations are not published, or are not published completely. Following the US Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, “The Final Rule” (compliance date April 18, 2017) and a National Institutes of Health policy clarified and expanded trial registration and results reporting requirements. We sought to identify policies, procedures, and resources to support trial registration and reporting at academic organizations. We conducted an online survey from November 21, 2016 to March 1, 2017, before organizations were expected to comply with The Final Rule. We included active Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS) accounts classified by ClinicalTrials.gov as a “University/Organization” in the USA. PRS administrators manage information on ClinicalTrials.gov. We invited one PRS administrator to complete the survey for each organization account, which was the unit of analysis. Eligible organization accounts (N = 783) included 47,701 records (e.g., studies) in August 2016. Participating organizations (366/783; 47%) included 40,351/47,701 (85%) records. Compared with other organizations, Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) holders, cancer centers, and large organizations were more likely to participate. A minority of accounts have a registration (156/366; 43%) or results reporting policy (129/366; 35%). Of those with policies, 15/156 (11%) and 49/156 (35%) reported that trials must be registered before institutional review board approval is granted or before beginning enrollment, respectively. Few organizations use computer software to monitor compliance (68/366; 19%). One organization had penalized an investigator for non-compliance. Among the 287/366 (78%) accounts reporting that they allocate staff to fulfill ClinicalTrials.gov registration and reporting requirements, the median number of full-time equivalent staff is 0.08 (interquartile range = 0.02–0.25). Because of non-response and social desirability, this could be a “best case” scenario. Before the compliance date for The Final Rule, some academic organizations had policies and resources that facilitate clinical trial registration and reporting. Most organizations appear to be unprepared to meet the new requirements. Organizations could enact the following: adopt policies that require trial registration and reporting, allocate resources (e.g., staff, software) to support registration and reporting, and ensure there are consequences for investigators who do not follow standards for clinical research.
Romantic Relationship Status and Emerging Adult Well-Being: Accounting for Romantic Relationship Interest:

Using data from 744 unmarried emerging adults, we tested the associations between their romantic relationship status and well-being while accounting for single participants’ romantic relationship i...
Cord blood reverse T3 in congenital hypothyroidism.

Reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) was measured in cord serum from 5 infants with congenital hypothyroidism and compared with normal values in 70 euthyroid control infants. The mean (and SEM) value in the affected infants (135 ± 12 ng/dl) wassignificantly lower than that in the control population (270 ± 9 ng/dl). However, the large overlap in range of concentrations in affected and control infants indicates that newborn screening based on the determination of rT3 in cord blood specimens offers no advantage qver present screening methods. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 46: 336, 1978)
The role of FDG PET/CT imaging in detection of recurrent ovarian cancer (OC)

1091 Learning Objectives 1. Understand the role of FDG PET/CT in the restaging of ovarian cancer. 2. Illustrate the patterns of locoregional and distant recurrence. 3. Illustrate PET/CT pitfalls. OC is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in females with a high likelihood of recurrence despite aggressive therapies. Our aim is to evaluate the clinical utility of FDG-PET/CT imaging for detecting recurrent OC. After initial treatment, OC patients are rigorously monitored with follow-up visits, serial tumor markers, imaging and second-look procedures. CT/MRI has the benefit of excellent anatomic definition but provides no information regarding metabolic characterization of the structural abnormalities. PET/CT is more sensitive than conventional imaging modalities in detecting recurrent OC with a sensitivity and specificity of 88-94% and 81-93%respectively. The most common site of recurrence occurs in the peritoneum, thay may be demonstrated as hypermetabolic soft tissue masses or as diffuse uptake on PET/CT imaging. These implants are most commonly seen in the cul-de-sac and mesocolon. Recurrence can occur within the pelvic or paraaortic lymph nodes. Distant organ metastases are the least common form of recurrence. However, PET/CT has limitations including false negatives seen in mucinous OC and diffuse peritoneal involvement. False positives can occur in the setting of infection/inflammation. Thus, there is a need to understand the characteristic disease distribution and pitfalls in the setting of suspected recurrence. This review will include a series of OC PET/CT cases demonstrating local recurrence in the pelvis, peritoneal involvement, pelvic/retroperitoneal lymph node metastases, distant organs involvement. False negative and false positive cases will also be reviewed to enhance the awareness of associated pitfalls for more accurate interpretation. The expanded body of knowledge may help to accurately identify recurrent OC in a timely fashion that may have an impact on clinical management
Avances en la documentación del sitio de La tunita (Catamarca, Argentina)

La vertiente oriental de la Sierra de Ancasti confi gura una zona ecotonal de singulares caracteristicas a raiz de su potencial en cuanto a disponibilidad de recursos y aptitud para practicas agricolas y pastoriles, otorgandole cierta preponderancia en el contexto regional. La vegetacion se dispone en tres pisos atendiendo a factores topoclimaticos y edafi cos, sobresaliendo los pastizales de la peneplaniciecumbral y el bosque serrano, donde predomina el cebil (Anadenantheracolubrina) (Morlans 1995). La presencia del bosque de cebil denota una intima relacion entre el contexto cultural y natural, permitiendo indagar en la dimension simbolica de algunos lugares jalonados por numerosos sitios de arte rupestre. La zona ofrece ademas una variada gama de evidencia arqueologica, tal el caso de recintos pircados de posible uso residencial y estructuras vinculadas a practicas agro-pastoriles, asignables en su mayoria al Periodo de Integracion Regional(ca. s. III d.C. hasta el s. XI o XII, segun la region), caracterizado por un singular grado de desarrollo en el plano artistico-tecnologico y por la complejidad a nivel socio-cultural.
High-resolution views of TRPV1 and their implications for the TRP channel superfamily.

The first high-resolution structures of a near-full-length TRP channel were recently described, structures of the noxious heat receptor TRPV1 in the absence or presence of vanilloid agonists and a spider toxin. Here we briefly review the salient features, including the overall architecture, agonist binding sites, and conformational changes related to channel pore gating. We also discuss some of the structures’ implications for the TRP channel family and a few of the many questions still left unanswered.
Genomic prediction accuracy for switchgrass traits related to bioenergy within differentiated populations.

Switchgrass breeders need to improve the rates of genetic gain in many bioenergy-related traits in order to create improved cultivars that are higher yielding and have optimal biomass composition. One way to achieve this is through genomic selection. However, the heritability of traits needs to be determined as well as the accuracy of prediction in order to determine if efficient selection is possible. Using five distinct switchgrass populations comprised of three lowland, one upland and one hybrid accession, the accuracy of genomic predictions under different cross-validation strategies and prediction methods was investigated. Individual genotypes were collected using GBS while kin-BLUP, partial least squares, sparse partial least squares, and BayesB methods were employed to predict yield, morphological, and NIRS-based compositional data collected in 2012–2013 from a replicated Nebraska field trial. Population structure was assessed by F statistics which ranged from 0.3952 between lowland and upland accessions to 0.0131 among the lowland accessions. Prediction accuracy ranged from 0.57–0.52 for cell wall soluble glucose and fructose respectively, to insignificant for traits with low repeatability. Ratios of heritability across to within-population ranged from 15 to 0.6. Accuracy was significantly affected by both cross-validation strategy and trait. Accounting for population structure with a cross-validation strategy constrained by accession resulted in accuracies that were 69% lower than apparent accuracies using unconstrained cross-validation. Less accurate genomic selection is anticipated when most of the phenotypic variation exists between populations such as with spring regreening and yield phenotypes.
The Hippo signaling network and its biological functions

Hippo signaling is an evolutionarily conserved network that has a central role in regulating cell proliferation and cell fate to control organ growth and regeneration. It promotes activation of the LATS kinases, which control gene expression by inhibiting the activity of the transcriptional coactivator proteins YAP and TAZ in mammals and Yorkie in Drosophila. Diverse upstream inputs, including both biochemical cues and biomechanical cues, regulate Hippo signaling and enable it to have a key role as a sensor of cells' physical environment and an integrator of growth control signals. Several components of this pathway localize to cell-cell junctions and contribute to regulation of Hippo signaling by cell polarity, cell contacts, and the cytoskeleton. Downregulation of Hippo signaling promotes uncontrolled cell proliferation, impairs differentiation, and is associated with cancer. We review the current understanding of Hippo signaling and highlight progress in the elucidation of its regulatory mechanisms and biological functions.
Acoustic tracking and localization using computationally efficient algorithms

U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is developing low size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) solutions for acoustic detection, tracking, and localization of moving targets. Many standard signal processing algorithms cannot be implemented on low SWAP-C commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware for unattended ground sensor applications due to power and computational requirements. To overcome this issue, ARL is developing lower complexity beamforming, tracking and localization algorithms. For example, beamformer algorithms are based upon 1-dimensional scans, multi hypothesis target trackers are based on alpha beta filters and localization algorithms are based upon linear least squares algorithms. The performance of these algorithms is slight poorer than other standard approaches, but their computational complexity can be lower by an order of magnitude.U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is developing low size, weight, power, and cost (SWAP-C) solutions for acoustic detection, tracking, and localization of moving targets. Many standard signal processing algorithms cannot be implemented on low SWAP-C commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware for unattended ground sensor applications due to power and computational requirements. To overcome this issue, ARL is developing lower complexity beamforming, tracking and localization algorithms. For example, beamformer algorithms are based upon 1-dimensional scans, multi hypothesis target trackers are based on alpha beta filters and localization algorithms are based upon linear least squares algorithms. The performance of these algorithms is slight poorer than other standard approaches, but their computational complexity can be lower by an order of magnitude.
Investigation of spatial-frequency-dependent noise in columnar CsI:Tl using depth-localized single x-ray imaging

The x-ray imaging performance of an indirect flat panel detector (I-FPD) is intrinsically limited by its scintillator. Random fluctuations in the conversion gain and spatial blur of scintillators (per detected x-ray) degrade the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of I-FPDs. These variations are often attributed to depth-dependence in light escape efficiency and spatial spread before detection. Past investigations have used theoretical models to explore how scintillator depth effects degrade DQE(f), however such models have not been validated by direct measurements. Recently, experimental methods have been developed to localize the depth of x-ray interactions in a scintillator, and image the light burst from each interaction using an ultra-high-sensitivity optical camera. This approach, referred to as depth-localized single x-ray imaging (SXI), has enabled direct measurements of both depth-dependent and fixed-depth variations in scintillator gain and spatial resolution. SXI has been used recently to measure depth-dependence in the average gain and modulation transfer function (MTF) of columnar CsI:Tl, which is the scintillator-of-choice for medical I-FPDs. When used in a depth-dependent cascaded linear system model, these SXI measurements accurately predict the presampling MTF(f) of CsI:Tl-based I-FPDs as measured using the slanted-edge method. However, such calculations underestimate the CsI:Tl noise power spectrum (NPS), and thereby overestimate its DQE when compared to conventional measurements. We hypothesize that some of this discrepancy is caused by fixed-depth variations in CsI:Tl spatial resolution, which are not considered in current models. This work characterizes these variations directly using depth-localized SXI and examines their impact on scintillator DQE(f).
The mediating effects of message agreement on millennials’ response to advocacy advertising

Marketers’ use of advocacy advertising has become more noticeable. This may be attributed to a rise in corporate social responsibility as well as a growing millennial cohort demanding ethical busin...
Alzheimer's Disease Research Using Human Microglia.

Experimental studies of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have mostly investigated microglia, the brain-resident macrophages. This review focused on human microglia obtained at rapid autopsies. Studies employing methods to isolate and culture human brain microglia in high purity for experimental studies were discussed. These methods were employed to isolate human microglia for investigation of a number of features of neuroinflammation, including activation phenotypes, neurotoxicity, responses to abnormal aggregated proteins such as amyloid beta, phagocytosis, and the effects of aging and disease on microglia cellular properties. In recent years, interest in human microglia and neuroinflammation has been renewed due to the identification of inflammation-related AD genetic risk factors, in particular the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM)-2. Because of the difficulties in developing effective treatments for AD, there has been a general need for greater understanding of the functions of microglia in normal and AD brains. While most experimental studies on neuroinflammation have employed rodent microglia, this review considered the role of human microglia in experimental studies. This review focused on the development of in vitro methodology for the culture of postmortem human microglia and the key findings obtained from experimental studies with these cells.
Barriers to Reproducible Scientific Programming

Scientists about their programming practices, and the extent to which they adhere to six common best practices. We argue that these practices are essential to the core scientific value of reproducibility. Our results indicate that many of these practices are not followed because of barriers such as low self-efficacy and misaligned incentive structures. We conclude with suggested improvements to the tooling, education, and incentives of scientific programmers.
Running a programming contest: conference tutorial

Frostburg State University recently held their first programming contest as a way to encourage students to have fun with their education. An overall success, we'll use this experience to begin a discussion on different approaches to begin this as an activity and to share ideas. We'll compare successes and failures and how we can take what we've learned to administering new contests. We will compare different contest tools and share strategies on how to use them for the best results, and finally, we will discuss different ways to get students interested in participation.