cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes following surgery without radiotherapy for rectal cancer.

Background: This study determined survival and recurrence rates following curative resection of rectal cancer without radiotherapy. Methods: This was a retrospective review of the Mayo Clinic database of patients with rectal cancer treated with curative intent using surgery alone from 1990 to 2006. Patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy and those who had any postoperative radiotherapy were excluded. Details were collected from the database and patient records using a protocol approved by the institutional review board. Results: Some 655 consecutive patients with rectal cancer treated with curative intent using surgery alone were identified; 397 had stage I disease, 125 stage II and 133 stage III. Four hundred and nine patients underwent anterior resection (AR) and 246 abdominoperineal resection (APR). Median follow-up was 62 months. The 5-year rate of local recurrence was 4·3 per cent, disease-free survival 90·0 per cent and cancer-specific survival 91·5 per cent. Stage-specific and all-stage disease-free survival did not differ significantly between AR and APR. The 5-year cumulative local recurrence rate was lower following AR than APR (3·6 versus 5·5 per cent; P = 0·321). There were only two patients with positive margins and type of operation was not significant on multivariable analysis. Conclusion: Well-performed, standardized APRs have similar local recurrence to AR. Radiation therapy may not confer much additional benefit. Copyright © 2011 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A tool for belief updating over time in Bayesian networks

We have developed a tool that facilitates dynamically updating beliefs with time. This tool addresses directed probabilistic inference networks that may contain cycles, and takes into account the time delays associated with observations and decisions. Relevance of different observers may decay at different rates in the same application, and the belief in a hypothesis decays towards the associated prior probability. Simple models with few parameters have been implemented, with a user interface that facilitates changes to the structure and parameters of the graphical model, and associated conditional probabilities.
Cellulose graft copolymers. IV. Graft copolymerization of methacrylonitrile with γ‐irradiated cellulose from DMSO–, acetone–, and methanol–water systems

Methacrylonitrile was graft-copolymerized from DMSO–, acetone–, and methanol–water systems with γ-irradiated, purified cotton cellulose. The relative extents of scavenging of the free radicals in the irradiated cellulose after immersion in the solvents for 3 min at 25°C, as determined by electron spin resonance spectroscopy, were: methanol (77%) > water (70%) ≫ acetone (5%) > DMSO (0%). After immersion of irradiated cellulose in the solvents for 60 min at 25°C, the relative extents of scavenging of the radicals were: methanol, water (80–85%) > DMSO (80%) > acetone (62%). From these data, it would appear that the overall rates of diffusion of methanol and water into the fibrous macrostructure were greater than the rates of diffusion of DMSO and acetone into the structure. The relative radiochemical yields of the graft copolymerization reactions of methacrylonitrile with irradiated cellulose in the different solvents were: water ≫ DMSO > methanol ≫ acetone. The addition of water to the systems increased the yields of the reactions.
The Effects of Clozapine on Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders Among Patients With Schizophrenia

Several case studies indicate that clozapine use is associated with reductions in the use of nicotine, alcohol, or illicit drugs. Although not designed to assess clozapine, this study explored a posteriori the effects of clozapine on alcohol and drug use disorders among schizophrenia patients. Among 151 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and co-occurring substance use disorder who were studied in a dual-disorder treatment program, 36 received clozapine during the study for standard clinical indications. All participants were assessed prospectively at baseline and every 6 months over 3 years for psychiatric symptoms and substance use. Alcohol-abusing patients taking clozapine experienced significant reductions in severity of alcohol abuse and days of alcohol use while on clozapine. For example, they averaged 54.1 drinking days during 6-month intervals while off clozapine and 12.5 drinking days while on clozapine. They also improved more than patients who did not receive clozapine. At the end of the study, 79.0 percent of the patients on clozapine were in remission from alcohol use disorder for 6 months or longer, while only 33.7 percent of those not taking clozapine were remitted. Findings related to other drugs in relation to clozapine were also positive but less clear because of the small number of patients with drug use disorders. This study was limited by the naturalistic design and the lack of prospective, standardized measures of clozapine use. The use of clozapine by patients with co-occurring substance disorders deserves further study in randomized clinical trials.
Prevention and management of radiation-induced dermatitis, mucositis, and xerostomia.

Purpose Current strategies for preventing and managing radiation-induced dermatitis, mucositis, and xerostomia are reviewed, with an emphasis on pharmacologic interventions. Summary Nearly two thirds of all patients with cancer receive radiation therapy during the course of treatment, frequently resulting in acute skin and mucosal toxicities. The severity of radiotherapy-associated toxicities varies according to multiple treatment- and patient-related factors (e.g., total radiation dose and dose fractionation schedule, volume of organ or tissue irradiated, use of concurrent versus sequential chemotherapy, comorbid conditions, functional performance status). Three major radiation toxicities encountered in clinical practice are (1) radiation dermatitis, typically managed with a variety of topical agents such as water-based moisturizing creams or lotions, topical steroids, antiinflammatory emulsions, and wound dressings, (2) radiation-induced oral mucositis, which can be managed through proper basic oral care practices, appropriate pain management, and the use of medicated mouthwashes and oral rinses and gels, and (3) radiation-induced xerostomia, which can be alleviated with saliva substitutes, moistening agents, and sialagogues. Pharmacists involved in the care of patients receiving radiotherapy can play an important role in optimizing symptom control, educating patients on self-care strategies, and adverse effect monitoring and reporting. Conclusion Radiation-induced dermatitis, mucositis, and xerostomia can cause significant morbidity and diminished quality of life. Pharmacologic interventions for the prevention and treatment of these toxicities include topical agents for dermatitis; oral products, analgesics, and palifermin for mucositis; and amifostine, saliva substitutes, and pilocarpine for xerostomia.
Saddam Surprises the United States: Learning from "The Revolution of August 2"

Little attention has been paid to Saddam Hussein's strategic surprise in the invasion of Kuwait. This is unfortunate, because in Saddam's invasion lies an exceptionally useful extension of what is known about surprise in strategy and diplomacy, an extension of particular value in the post-Cold War world where the risks of nuclear proliferation and the possible spread of other weapons of mass destruction heighten the importance of properly understanding surprise. This article argues that Saddam surprised Kuwait and its allies because they had deceived themselves about his intention to attack. It also argues that decision-makers and analysts are especially likely to indulge in self-deception when they believe they have found a way to avoid the dangers of their chosen path. American decision-makers minimized Saddam's rapacity and unpredictability because they thought the policy of tilting toward Iraq would convert him into a responsible international actor. The article first examines the literature on surpri...
Indicators and Standards in Parks and Outdoor Recreation

Management of parks and outdoor recreation is a specific form of the broad field of environmental management . Emerging concepts in environmental management include ecosystem management , sustainability, adaptive management, and indicators and standards. Management of parks and outdoor recreation was an early adopter of all of these concepts, particularly indicators and standards.
Historical vicariance and postglacial colonization effects on the evolution of genetic structure in Lophocereus, a Sonoran Desert columnar cactus

Abstract Distinguishing the historical effects of gene migration and vicariance on contemporary genetic structure is problematic without testable biogeographic hypotheses based on preexisting geological and environmental evidence. The availability of such hypotheses for North America's Sonoran Desert has contributed to our understanding of the effect of historical vicariance and dispersal events on the diversification of this region's vertebrate biota but have not yet been applied to its flora. In this paper we describe a detailed allozyme analysis of the population genetic structure and phylogeography of the Sonoran Desert columnar cactus, Lophocereus schottii (senita). Inferred phylogroup distributions reflect two historical vicariance events: (1) a middle Pliocene northward transgression of the Sea of Cortez that is reflected in well-supported Baja California peninsular and continental phylogroups but not in current taxonomic treatments of the species; and (2) a late Pliocene transpeninsular seaway acr...
"Indian" Rules, "Yavana" Rules: Foreign Identity and the Transmission of Mathematics

Numerous ideas and methods derived from Indian mathematics became familiar in the west long before European scholars began systematically studying Sanskrit scientific texts. The name “Indian” was attached to many mathematical concepts and techniques in West Asia/North Africa and Europe starting at the beginning of the medieval period, from the “Indian numbers” and “Indian calculation” adopted by Arab mathematicians to the “Hindoo method” for solving quadratic equations in nineteenth-century algebra textbooks. Likewise, the Sanskrit term “Yavana”, originally a transliteration of “Ionian (Greek)” but later applied to other foreigners as well, was applied by Indian scholars to various foreign importations in the exact sciences. This talk explores the historical process of adoption and assimilation of “foreign mathematics” both in and from India.
Aldose reductase mediates retinal microglia activation

Retinal microglia (RMG) are one of the major immune cells in charge of surveillance of inflammatory responses in the eye. In the absence of an inflammatory stimulus, RMG reside predominately in the ganglion layer and inner or outer plexiform layers. However, under stress RMG become activated and migrate into the inner nuclear layer (INL) or outer nuclear layer (ONL). Activated RMG in cell culture secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines in a manner sensitive to downregulation by aldose reductase inhibitors. In this study, we utilized CX3CR1(GFP) mice carrying AR mutant alleles to evaluate the role of AR on RMG activation and migration in vivo. When tested on an AR(WT) background, IP injection of LPS induced RMG activation and migration into the INL and ONL. However, this phenomenon was largely prevented by AR inhibitors or in AR null mice, or was exacerbated in transgenic mice that over-express AR. LPS-induced increases in ocular levels of TNF-α and CX3CL-1 in WT mice were substantially lower in AR null mice or were reduced by AR inhibitor treatment. These studies demonstrate that AR expression in RMG may contribute to the proinflammatory phenotypes common to various eye diseases such as uveitis and diabetic retinopathy.
Correlates of Successful Aging in Racial and Ethnic Minority Women Age 80 Years and Older: Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative

Author(s): Cene, Crystal W; Dilworth-Anderson, Peggye; Leng, Iris; Garcia, Lorena; Benavente, Viola; Rosal, Milagros; Vaughan, Leslie; Coker, Laura H; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Kim, Mimi; Bell, Christina L; Robinson, Jennifer G; Manson, JoAnn E; Cochrane, Barbara | Abstract: BackgroundMost research has focused on definitions and predictors of successful aging. However, racial/ethnic minorities are often under represented in this research. Given that the U.S. population is aging and becoming more racially diverse, we examined correlates of "successful aging," as defined by physical functioning and overall quality of life (QOL), among racial/ethnic minority women aged 80 years and older in the Women's Health Initiative.MethodsParticipants included 1,924 racial/ethnic minority women (African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Hispanic/Latinos, and American Indian/Alaskan Natives) 80 years of age and older who are enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative and have physical functioning data after turning 80 years of age. Analysis of covariance was used to examine between and within group differences in physical functioning and selfrated overall QOL for African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic/Latinos.ResultsWe found no significant differences in physical functioning between racial/ethnic minority groups in adjusted analyses. However, overall QOL was significantly different between racial/ethnic minority groups. Age, recreational physical activity, and overall selfrated health were independent correlates of physical functioning across racial/ethnic minority groups, whereas overall selfrated health was the only consistent correlate of overall QOL across the minority groups for the within minority group comparisons.ConclusionsBetween racial/ethnic minority group differences in physical functioning are largely explained by demographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related variables. We found statistically significant differences in selfrated overall QOL between racial/ethnic minority groups.
Exploring Requirement Change Propagation Through the Physical and Functional Domain

Prior research performed by Morkos [1], culminated in the automated requirement change propagation prediction (ARCPP) tool which utilized natural language data in requirements to predict change propagation throughout a requirements document as a result of an initiating requirement change. Whereas the prior research proved requirements can be used to predict change propagation, the purpose of this case study is to understand why. Specifically, what parts of a requirement affect its ability to predict change propagation? This is performed by addressing two key research questions: (1) Is the requirement review depth affected by the number of relators selected to relate requirements and (2) What elements of a requirement are responsible for instigating change propagation, the physical (nouns) or functional (verbs) domain? The results of this study assist in understanding whether the physical or functional domain have a greater effect on the instigation of change propagation.The results indicated that the review depth, an indicator of the performance of the ARCPP tool, is not affected by the number of relators, but rather by the ability of relators in relating the propagating relationships. Further, nouns are found to be more contributing to predicting change propagation in requirements. Therefore, the physical domain is more effective in predicting requirement change propagation than the functional domain.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Endothelin Receptor A Antagonism Prevents Damage to Glycogen-Rich Placental Cells Following Uterine Ischemia–Reperfusion in the Rat

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Suboptimal uteroplacental perfusion is the most commonly identified cause of FGR, and ischemic lesions are often observed in placentas from pregnancies complicated by FGR. Ischemia followed by reperfusion is a strong stimulus to the production of the vasoconstrictor endothelin 1 (ET-1) which has been implicated in several models of FGR. We sought to investigate oxidative stress and placental morphology in a rat model of ischemia–reperfusion (I/R)-induced FGR and to evaluate the role of ET-1 in the observed pathology. Unilateral uterine I/R (30 min) was conducted, with and without simultaneous ET-1 receptor A (ETA) antagonism, on pregnant rats at gestation day 17. Placental tissues collected 24 hours later were evaluated immunohistochemically for oxidative damage. Tissue pathology was studied using quantitative morphometry. Glycogen-rich cellular areas in the placental junctional zone exhibited only 50% intact cells (P <...
Characterization of an investigative safety pharmacology model to assess comprehensive cardiac function and structure in chronically instrumented conscious beagle dogs

Abstract Introduction There has been an increasing need to conduct investigative safety pharmacology studies to complement regulatory-required studies, particularly as it applies to a comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular (CV) risk. Methods We describe refined methodology using a combination of telemetry and direct signal acquisition to record concomitant peripheral hemodynamics, ECG, and left ventricular (LV) structure (LV chamber size and LV wall thickness) and function, including LV pressure-volume (PV) loops to determine load independent measures of contractility (end systolic elastance, Ees, and preload recruitable stroke work, PRSW) in conscious beagle dogs. Following baseline characterization, 28 days of chronic rapid ventricular pacing (RVP) was performed and cardiac function monitored: both as a way to compare measures during development of dysfunction and to characterize feasibility of a model to assess CV safety in animals with underlying cardiac dysfunction. Results While ± dP/dT decreased within a few days of RVP and remained stable, more comprehensive cardiac function measurements, including Ees and PRSW, provided a more sensitive assessment confirming the value of such endpoints for a more clear functional assessment. After 28 days of RVP, the inodilator pimobendan was administered to further demonstrate the ability to detect changes in cardiac function. Expectedly pimobendan caused a leftward shift in the PV loop, improved ejection fraction (EF) and significantly improved Ees and PRSW. Discussion In summary, the data show the feasibility and importance in measuring enhanced cardiac functional parameters in conscious normal beagle dogs and further describe a relatively stable cardiac dysfunction model that could be used as an investigative safety pharmacology risk assessment tool.
Development of Mobile Calibration Platform for Power Transmission and Distribution Test Equipment

With the vigorous development of power construction, power production department is paying more attention to test results of high voltage test instrument and equipment. Now the metrological verification of high voltage test instrument is mainly conducted by metrological departments such as provincial electric power research institutes(EPRI)of the Power Grid. Standard measurement appliances are stored in regular laboratory condition and periodically sent for inspection from the bottom up by users, which is in inconvenient for inspection. The mobile calibration platform developed in this paper is designed to meet the requirement of on-site detection for high voltage test instrument of power systems, and can support comprehensive calibration and on-site detection for main functions of the mainstream high voltage test instruments of the market. Operating principles and core technologies of the developed calibration platform are introduced in this paper in detail. Using the platform, performance of the test instruments can be effectively assessed, and diverse needs of metrological detection for high voltage test instrument can be met. Therefore, operation safety of power systems and economic benefit of power industry are improved, and on-site metrological detection capacity are strengthened.
Research on residual determination of bromate in flour and flour products by Ion chromatography

Objective:To establish a method for residual determination of bromate in flour and its products by ion chromatography.Methods:Bromate was first extracted from the sample by water bath heating and purified by a silver column,then determined by ion chromatography.Chromatographic separation was carried out on Ionpac AS19 column(250 mm×4 mm i.d.,5 μm) with ASRS-ULTRAⅡ anion suppressor,and a DS6 suppressed conductivity detector was used to the determination,and potassium hydroxide was used in gradient elution.Results:The linear range was 1.0 μg/ml～6.0 μg/ml for bromate with correlation coefficients of more than 0.999.When the signal to noise ratio equals to 3,the limits of quantitation were found to be 0.1 mg/kg.Conclusion:The developed method was satisfied with the residual determination for bromate in flour and its products.
Diabetes mellitus impairs neurogenic and endothelium-dependent relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.

Abstract The effect of alloxan-induced diabetes on the reactivity of corporeal nerves, endothelium and smooth muscle was studied in the New Zealand white rabbit. Fifteen rabbits were randomly divided into treated (n = 6) and control (n = 9) groups. The treated group was maintained for 6 weeks. Two control groups were studied. One control group (n = 3) was maintained for 6 weeks as littermate controls for diabetic group. The second control group (n = 6) was not maintained but was weight matched with the 6 week diabetic group. The reactivity of corpus cavernosum tissue from the diabetic animals and the control animals was studied in organ chambers. When tissue contraction was produced with phenylephrine for the study of relaxation to various stimuli, the tension induced was similar in the diabetic and the control groups. Relaxation of corpus cavernosum tissue to electrical stimulation of autonomic nerves as well as relaxation to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine were comparably unaffected in the weight matched and littermate control groups while significantly inhibited in the diabetic group. Treatment of the corporeal tissue with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin enhanced the relaxation to electrical stimulation and to acetylcholine in the control and in the diabetic groups but did not improve the significant difference in relaxation between the two groups. Relaxation of corporeal tissue to endothelium-independent vasodilators, papaverine and nitroprusside was similar in the control groups and the diabetic groups. It is concluded that diabetes impairs neurogenic and endothelium-mediated relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle. These findings are comparable to those described in corpus cavernosum tissue from diabetic men, showing the validity of this experimental animal model. The mechanism for the nerve or endothelial dysfunction does not appear to involve alteration in cyclooxygenase products of arachidonate or the ability of the corporeal smooth muscle to relax via a cGMP-dependent mechanism. Since nitric oxide has been shown to act as the nonadrenergic noncholinergic neurotransmitter as well as endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) of the trabecular smooth muscle, it is possible that impairment of neurogenic and endothelium-dependent relaxation due to diabetes is mediated by alteration in the synthesis or availability of nitric oxide in corporeal tissue.
Cyanobacterial Diazotrophy and Earth’s Delayed Oxygenation

The redox landscape of Earth’s ocean-atmosphere system has changed dramatically throughout Earth history. Although Earth’s protracted oxygenation is undoubtedly the consequence of cyanobacterial oxygenic photosynthesis, the relationship between biological O2 production and Earth’s redox evolution remains poorly understood. Existing models for Earth’s oxygenation cannot adequately explain the nearly 2.5 billion year delay between the origin of oxygenic photosynthesis and the oxygenation of the deep ocean, in large part owing to major deficiencies in our understanding of the coevolution of O2 and Earth’s key biogeochemical cycles (e.g., the N cycle). For example, although possible links between O2 and N scarcity have been previously explored, the consequences of N2 limitation for net biological O2 production have not been examined thoroughly. Here, we revisit the prevailing view that N2 fixation has always been able to keep pace with P supply and discuss the possibility that bioavailable N, rather than P, limited export production for extended periods of Earth’s history. Based on the observation that diazotrophy occurs at the expense of oxygenesis in the modern ocean, we suggest that an N-limited biosphere may be inherently less oxygenic than a P-limited biosphere—and that cyanobacterial diazotrophy was a primary control on the timing and tempo of Earth’s oxygenation by modulating net biogenic O2 fluxes. We further hypothesize that negative feedbacks inhibit the transition between N and P limitation, with the implication that the pervasive accumulation of O2 in Earth’s ocean-atmosphere system may not have been an inevitable consequence of oxygenic photosynthesis by marine cyanobacteria.
Moral Injury: Two Perspectives

There is a growing awareness that the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military service members has not been an effective means of dealing with the psychological trauma of war. Mental health professionals who treat soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have perceived a disparity between soldiers’ psychological responses to combat and the officially identified cause of PTSD), which is fear. William Nash, who in 2004 served in Iraq as a combat psychiatrist, notes that after the Battle of Fallujah, not fear, but “survivor’s guilt, moral injury, [and] feeling betrayed by leaders” were the predominant reactions among soldiers.1
Cozy: synthesizing collection data structures

Many applications require specialized data structures not found in standard libraries. Implementing new data structures by hand is tedious and error-prone. To alleviate this difficulty, we built a tool called Cozy that synthesizes data structures using counter-example guided inductive synthesis. We evaluate Cozy by showing how its synthesized implementations compare to handwritten implementations in terms of correctness and performance across four real-world programs. Cozy's data structures match the performance of the handwritten implementations while avoiding human error.
Modulation of alloimmune response by commensal gut microbiota and potential new avenues to influence the outcome of allogeneic transplantation by modification of the ‘gut culture’

Host defence response against microbial infections was the foundation for the Science of Immunology. Now, we know the mechanisms of such host defence which include innate immune responses that is generally nonspecific but effective in many cases and lead to more specific responses called adaptive immune response. The gene loci of class I, II and III of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play a major role in directing the adaptive immune responses by presenting processed antigens to T and B cells to induce appropriate antigen-specific cellular and or humoral immune responses. In humans, these are commonly referred to as human leucocyte antigens class I/II-HLA I/II). The class III region, the gamma region in the MHC complex, is mostly associated with regulation of immune responses along with genes associated with complement activation. The adaptive immune responses are orchestrated by T and B cells that are tuned to respond to antigens that are normally foreign to the body, because these cells are educated to avoid self-antigens by a process of thymic education and selection of the T cells that are mostly non-self-reactive which also helps the B cells in eliciting specific immune responses to non-self-antigens. A by-product of this is the ability of the T and B cells to elicit strong immune responses to foreign HLA/MHC (alloimmune response), which developed into the field of histocompatibility testing for allogeneic transplantation of stem cells and organs. Now, we are beginning to learn that such alloimmune responses can be influenced by the microbiota that symbiotically live in our body especially on the mucosal surfaces and on the skin. This review deals with new and emerging data on how the commensal mucosal and skin microbiota influence the immune homeostasis, and how manipulating the commensal microbiota of the mucosa and skin could influence the survival and long-term functions of the allografts. Also, alterations of the microbiota by the inevitable immunosuppression prior to and following allogeneic transplantation could contribute towards the outcome of the allografts by alloimmune responses generated due to microbial antigen vs HLA cross-reactivity.
Do neighborhoods matter differently for movers and non-movers? Analysis of weight gain in the longitudinal Dallas Heart Study

The few available population-based longitudinal studies examining the link between change in neighborhood condition and weight change to date have only examined neighborhood changes generated by residential mobility. Applying a difference-in-difference analytic framework to data from the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), a multi-ethnic, population-based cohort in Dallas County, TX, we evaluated the relationship between changes in neighborhood condition and weight change for both movers and non-movers over an approximate seven-year follow-up period. We employed a novel measure of neighborhood condition based on property appraisal data to capture temporally consistent measures of change in neighborhood condition regardless of residential mobility. We observed an inverse relationship between weight change and change in neighborhood condition which was more pronounced for non-movers (1.9 fewer kilograms gained per 1-standard deviation improvement in neighborhood condition) than for movers (1.5 fewer kilograms gained per 1-standard deviation improvement in neighborhood condition).
Search for transient ultralight dark matter signatures with networks of precision measurement devices using a Bayesian statistics method

We analyze the prospects of employing a distributed global network of precision measurement devices as a dark matter and exotic physics observatory. In particular, we consider the atomic clocks of the global positioning system (GPS), consisting of a constellation of 32 medium-Earth orbit satellites equipped with either Cs or Rb microwave clocks and a number of Earth-based receiver stations, some of which employ highly-stable H-maser atomic clocks. High-accuracy timing data is available for almost two decades. By analyzing the satellite and terrestrial atomic clock data, it is possible to search for transient signatures of exotic physics, such as "clumpy" dark matter and dark energy, effectively transforming the GPS constellation into a 50 000 km aperture sensor array. Here we characterize the noise of the GPS satellite atomic clocks, describe the search method based on Bayesian statistics, and test the method using simulated clock data. We present the projected discovery reach using our method, and demonstrate that it can surpass the existing constrains by several order of magnitude for certain models. Our method is not limited in scope to GPS or atomic clock networks, and can also be applied to other networks of precision measurement devices.
The Tao As & Of Spiritual Healing: Reframing Reconciliation and Recovery

This chapter is about how I found a way to make sense of the world I live in and how to navigate spiritually from 1 week to another, and from 1 h to another. It is a spiritual orientation that borrows comprehensively from the activities that are observable in nature—human nature, physical, biological and chemical nature.
Binimetinib (MEK162) in recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer resistant to chemotherapy and hormonal treatment.

Abstract Background Management of advanced/recurrent low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGOSC) is often challenging. Effective treatment options remain limited for hormone and chemotherapy-resistant LGSOC. CASE: A 65-year-old woman with recurrent widespread LGSOC harboring the KRAS-G12 V hotspot mutation experienced a dramatic clinical response to Binimetinib (MEK162), a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor, after failing multiple chemotherapy and hormonal treatments. An 81% reduction of target lesions by RECIST 1.1 over 31 months of response duration was confirmed with serial CT scans. Episodes of drug-related toxicity (pneumonitis) easily resolved without sequelae with the use of oral steroids. Conclusion Binimetinib may present a new treatment option for hormone- and chemotherapy-resistant LGSOC harboring KRAS mutations.
The Buckling of Shallow Corrugated Webs in Shear

The results of a series of shear buckling tests on shallow, flat-sided, corrugated webs are presented, and a comparison made with a theoretical analysis in which the web is assumed to buckle either as an orthotropic plate or in a local mode. An expression is derived for the efficiency of a corrugated web in shear, and used to compare the four shapes of cross-section tested.
Monte Carlo Studies of Many-Electron Systems

The Monte Carlo simulation of strongly correlated electron systems is described. Emphasis is placed on the study of two-dimensional systems at low temperature, and results are presented for the two-dimensional Hubbard model both on and off half-filling.
De-noising, phase ambiguity correction and visualization techniques for complex-valued ICA of group fMRI data

Analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in its native, complex form has been shown to increase the sensitivity and specificity both for data-driven techniques, such as independent component analysis (ICA), and for model-driven techniques. Therefore, the possibility of increasing the usability of fMRI data in clinical and group studies provides a powerful motivation for utilizing both the phase and magnitude data. However, the unknown and noisy nature of the phase requires the introduction of new de-noising, preprocessing and visualization techniques. In addition, many complex-valued analysis algorithms, such as ICA, suffer from an inherent phase ambiguity, which introduces additional difficulty for group analysis. We present solutions for these issues, which have been among the main reasons phase information has been traditionally discarded, and show their effectiveness when used as part of a complex-valued group ICA algorithm application. The methods we present thus allow the development of new fully complex data-driven and semi-blind methods to process, analyze, and visualize fMRI data. We first introduce a physiologically motivated de-noising method that uses phase quality maps to successfully identify and eliminate noisy areas in the fMRI data so they can be used in individual and group studies. We also introduce a phase correction scheme that can be either applied subsequent to ICA of fMRI data or can be incorporated into the ICA algorithm in the form of prior information to eliminate the need for further processing for phase correction. Finally, we present a Mahalanobis distance-based thresholding method, which incorporates both magnitude and phase information into a single threshold, that can be used to increase the sensitivity in the identification of voxels of interest. This method shows particular promise for identifying voxels with significant susceptibility changes but that are located in low magnitude (i.e., activation) areas. We demonstrate the performance gain of the introduced methods on actual fMRI data.
Poor Interface Design and Lack of Usability Testing Facilitate Medical Error

Article-at-a-Glance Background A fictional scenario based on a compilation of several real events describes seven medical errors that at first appear to be caused by the paramedics and nurses involved. Human Factors Engineering (HFE) Analysis An emergency medical services paramedic attempted to use a debrillator on a 67-year-old man with ventricular tachycardia. Yet nothing happened. The defibrillator displayed an indication that it was in synchronized mode but provided no feedback to tell the user that it was not prepared to shock because of low QRS amplitude. Usability Testing A hands-on approach to discovering the difficulties and potential for error that people encounter when trying to use a product, usability testing can help to create medical devices and systems that are not only more "user friendly" and efficient—but safer. Recommendations Recommendations are presented to enable health care leaders to apply human factors considerations in their product evaluation and purchasing decisions. Medical device manufacturers should involve human factors engineers in the design process from the outset and should perform usability testing. Health care organizations should expect an optimized and tested user interface in the medical devices they purchase. Summary Many adverse events in medicine are the result of poor interface design rather than human error. The HFE concepts of usability and standardization are critical to patient safety.
The Ethics of Empathy: Walking a Fine Line in Forensic Evaluations

Objectivity is often cited as the most important characteristic of the forensic evaluator. However, emerging evidence indicates bias continues to exist, despite evaluators’ best attempts to mitigat...
Troubleshooting on the Roche Ventana BenchMark ULTRA IHC/ISH automated staining system

Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of tissue sections has been an invaluable tool when diagnosing patient tissue in the anatomic pathology laboratory. Automation and standardization of IHC have led...
Intratumor genetic heterogeneity in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

BACKGROUND We sought to evaluate intratumor heterogeneity in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OCC) and specifically determine the effect of physical separation and histologic differentiation within the same tumor. METHODS We performed whole exome sequencing on five biopsy sites-two from well-differentiated, two from poorly differentiated regions, and one from normal parenchyma-from five primary OCC specimens. RESULTS We found high levels of intratumor heterogeneity and, in four primary tumors, identified only 0 to 2 identical mutations in all subsites. We found that the heterogeneity inversely correlated with physical separation and that pairs of well-differentiated samples were more similar to each other than analogous poorly differentiated specimens. Only TP53 mutations, but not other purported "driver mutations" in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, were found in multiple biopsy sites. CONCLUSION These data highlight the challenges to characterization of the mutational landscape of OCC with single site biopsy and have implications for personalized medicine.
GLYCOSYL TRANSFERASES IN OLIGOSACCHARIDE BIOSYNTHESIS AND THEIR USE IN STRUCTURE - FUNCTION ANALYSIS OF GLYCOPROTEINS

Abstract Eleven different glycosyl transferases have been highly purified, or purified to homogeneity, and each has been found to have a very strict acceptor substrate specificity, in accord with the hypothesis that one enzyme is required for the synthesis of each type of disaccharide sequence found in the oligosaccharides of glycoconjugates. Several of the transferases act reciprocally, that is, each have the same acceptor substrate, but the product of one transferase may be a poor acceptor for another transferase, or not an acceptor at all. The combined actions of the transferases not only indicate the types of oligosaccharide structures permitted in animal oligosaccharides, but also give some insight into the basis of the structural heterogeneity observed in many oligosaccharides. Moreover, it is also possible to predict the preferred pathways of biosynthesis of certain oligosaccharides. The pure glycosyl transferases have been shown to be very useful reagents for the structural analysis of oligosaccharides and for the assessment of the structure-function relationships of glycoconjugates. Examples of their use for this purpose include studies on the rabbit hepatic galactose binding protein, α1-acid glycoprotein, human blood coagulation factor VIII and a heretofore unrecognized oligosaccharide binding activity of hepatocytes that binds specifically certain fucose containing ligands. The structure-function relationships of cell surface oligosaccharides can also be assessed with the aid of the transferases, as illustrated by studies on the role of sialic acid in expression of erythrocyte MN antigens and in viral adherence to erythrocytes.
Cookie or clementine? Psychophysiological stress reactivity and recovery after eating healthy and unhealthy comfort foods.

Abstract Many people eat unhealthy foods that are high in calories, fat, or sugar when feeling stressed, yet little is known about whether this unhealthy comfort eating actually comforts. Additionally, prior research has not tested whether healthy comfort eating of fruits and vegetables might also alleviate stress, or whether comfort eating during the stress anticipation phase versus immediately after a stressful event is more beneficial for stress relief. The present experiment tested whether unhealthy and healthy comfort eating reduce acute psychophysiological responses to a socially evaluative stressor. Participants (N = 150 healthy women) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test in the lab and were randomly assigned to one of five conditions according to a 2 (food type: unhealthy vs. healthy) x 2 (eating timing: during stress anticipation vs. after the stressor) + 1 (no food control) between-subjects design. Stress outcomes included mood, cognitive appraisals, rumination, salivary cortisol, heart rate variability, and pre-ejection period. Unhealthy and healthy comfort eating did not dampen reactivity or enhance recovery of psychophysiological stress compared to control, and no differences in reactivity or recovery were found by comfort food type. Findings suggest that by replacing unhealthy comfort foods with fruits and vegetables, women will not be sacrificing any stress-reducing benefits and can inherently improve the quality of their diet while avoiding potential drawbacks of unhealthy comfort eating (e.g., links with abdominal obesity).
Construction of the Ideal Ileocolic Anastomosis in Crohn’s Disease

Approximately 80% of patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease will ultimately require an intestinal resection for complications relating to their inflammatory bowel disease. Unfortunately, endoscopic recurrence of disease is identified in up to 70% of patients who have undergone surgical resection within one year of the operation and nearly one-third of patients will require additional operative interventions. There is still significant room for improvement in terms of efficacy of medical therapy in preventing recurrence in patients with Crohn’s disease in surgical remission. Furthermore, recurrence is most often seen at the anastomotic site or in the neo-terminal ileum. These findings indicate that efforts should be made to identify factors associated with recurrence and optimize anastomotic technique as a key proponent in the management of this difficult disease.
Propagations of spontaneous brain activity in awake rats

Abstract Slow propagations of spontaneous brain activity have been reported in multiple species. However, systematical investigation of the organization of such brain activity is still lacking. In this study, we analyzed propagations of spontaneous brain activity using a reference library of characteristic resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) patterns in awake rodents. We found that transitions through multiple distinct RSFC patterns were reproducible not only in transition sequences but also in transition time delays. In addition, the organization of these transitions and their spatiotemporal dynamic patterns were revealed using a graphical model. We further identified prominent brain regions involved in these transitions. These results provide a comprehensive framework of brainwide propagations of spontaneous activity in awake rats. This study also offers a new tool to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of activity in the resting brain.
The Affordable Care Act Contraception Mandate & Unintended Pregnancy in Women of Reproductive Age: An Analysis of the National Survey of Family Growth, 2008-2010 v. 2013-2015

Abstract Objective(s) The Affordable Care Act contraception mandate could reduce unintended pregnancies by increasing access and affordability of contraceptive resources, e.g., long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). We assessed: (1) whether unintended pregnancies decreased post-mandate, and (2) whether this decrease differed by demographic characteristics. Study design We used data from the National Survey of Family Growth (unweighted n = 7409) in logistic regression analyses to compare odds of unintended pregnancy pre-mandate (2008-2010) vs post-mandate (2013-2015), overall and stratified by demographic characteristics. Results Paralleling an increase in long-acting reversible contraceptive use (p Conclusions Unintended pregnancy decreased following the contraception mandate, although possibly due to chance. The short study period relative to the mandate could under-estimate the mandate’s effect.
Is Insurance a Barrier to HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis? Clarifying the Issue

Clinical trials have demonstrated that preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) protects against HIV infection; yet, even with its approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2012, less than 10% of eligible users in the United States are currently taking PrEP.While there are multiple factors that influence PrEP uptake and pose barriers to PrEP implementation, here we focus on PrEP's cost in the United States, which, at the current list price of $2000 per month and with high levels of cost sharing, can leave insured users with more than $1000 in out-of-pocket costs every year. We discuss how patient deductibles, monthly premiums, copayments, and coinsurance vary widely and may increase the financial burden. Although drug payment-assistance programs have made PrEP more affordable to uninsured and underinsured users, lack of insurance is a barrier to PrEP accessibility. The FDA approved a generic version in 2017; however, that version has not been distributed to US consumers and may not be more affordable.As other countries begin implementing PrEP programs, the extent of PrEP's availability as a tool in the global fight against HIV remains to be seen.
QCD corrections to the decay B→ η c X

First-order perturbative and leading-logarithmic QCD corrections to the weak decay B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$X are calculated. The color-singlet model for the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ is used. Results are similar to the corresponding calculation of B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\psi}x, but are not as sensitive to the value of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}$.
Application of Concentrated Solution Theory to the Measurement of Salt Transference Numbers in Ion-Selective Membranes

Models based on concentrated solution theory are developed to estimate from anion-tracer and cation-tracer experiments. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms are used to estimate the probability distribution functions for accounting for uncertainties in other physical properties and experimental measurement. Under well-designed experimental conditions, can be estimated precisely, and its value is consistent with estimates based on dilute-solution theory. The assumptions made in the concentrated solution theory model are tested with measurements of methanol flux, as a tracer for water flux. It is estimated that = 0.935 ± 0.005 for LiCl in Nafion 117 from anion-tracer experiments, while the estimates from cation-tracer experiments give = 0.938 ± 0.035.