cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of fully rotatable, roller-crank-driven, cam mechanisms for arbitrary motion specifications

The design of a non-traditional cam and roller-follower mechanism is described here. In this mechanism, the roller-crank rather than the cam is used as the continuous input member, while both complete a full rotation in each revolution and remain in contact throughout. It is noted that in order to have the cam fully rotate for every full rotation of the roller-crank, the cam cannot be a closed profile, rather the roller traverses the open cam profile twice in each cycle. Using kinematic analysis, the angular velocity of the cam when the roller traverses the cam profile in one direction, is related to the angular velocity of the cam when the roller retraces its path on the cam in the other direction. Thus, one can specify any arbitrary function relating the motion of the cam to the motion of the roller-crank for only 180 degrees of rotation in the angular velocity space. The motion of the cam in the remaining portion is then automatically determined. In specifying the arbitrary motion, many desirable characteristics such as multiple dwells, low acceleration and jerk, etc., can be obtained. Useful design equations are derived for this purpose. Using the kinematic inversion technique, the cam profile is readily obtained once the motion is specified in the angular velocity space. The only limitation to the arbitrary motion specification is making sure that the transmission angle never gets too low, so that the force will be transmitted efficiently from roller to cam. This is addressed by incorporating a transmission index into the motion specification in the synthesis process. Consequently, in this method we can specify any arbitrary motion within a permissible rone, such that the transmission index is higher than the specified minimum value. Single-dwell, double-dwell and a long hesitation motion are used as examples to demonstrate the ffectiveness of the design method. Force closure using an optimally located spring and quasi-kinetostatic analysis are also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Regularity of force tremor in Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Objectives : The study examines the time-dependent structure of force tremor to investigate two hypotheses: (1), the regularity of tremor can help in discriminating normal aging from that of Parkinson's disease (PD); and (2), there is increased tremor regularity with increases in the severity of PD. Methods : Eight young (21–29 years), eight elderly (68–80 years), and eight PD (68–80 years) subjects produced constant grip force at 5, 25 and 50% of their maximal voluntary contraction by squeezing two load cells with their index finger and thumb under a vision and no vision condition. Spectral analysis and approximate entropy (ApEn) were used, respectively, to analyze the frequency and time-dependent structure of tremor. Results : The analyses showed that there were no differences in the amplitude and modal frequency of force tremor between groups. The ApEn was significantly lower in the PD group compared with the controls. For the PD group, the linear relations between the total scores taken from the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-motor section and the dependent variables were r 2 =0.71 ( P r 2 =0.20 ( P >0.05) for the modal frequency, and r 2 =0.23 ( P >0.05) for the standard deviation. Surrogate analyses revealed that the time-dependent structure of tremor provided additional information beyond that of amplitude and modal frequency analyses. Conclusions : These findings indicate that tremor analyses should not be limited to just the frequency and amplitude of the oscillation, and that the time-dependent structure of tremor is useful in differentiating tremor in healthy people from those with PD. The hypothesis that more regular tremor in PD is due to a loss of multiple neuronal oscillators contributing to the tremor output is discussed.
Chemical structure informing statistical hypothesis testing in metabolomics

Motivation: Metabolomics has been shown as an effective tool to study various biological and biomedical phenotypes, whereas interrogating the inherently noisy metabolite concentration data with limited sample size remains a major challenge. Accumulating evidence suggests that metabolites’ structures are relevant to their bioactivities. Results: We present a new strategy to boost the statistical power of hypothesis testing in metabolomics by incorporating quantitative molecular descriptors for each metabolite. The strategy selects potentially informative summary molecular descriptors and outputs chemical structure-informed false discovery rates. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is demonstrated by both simulation studies and a real application. In a metabolomic study on Alzheimer’s disease, the posterior inclusion probability for summary molecular descriptors reaches 0.97. By incorporating the structure data, our approach uniquely identifies multiple Alzheimer’s disease signatures, which are consistent with existing evidence. These results evidently suggest the value of the proposed approach for metabolomic hypothesis-testing problems. Availability and implementation: A code package implementing the strategy is freely available at https://github.com/HongjieZhu/CIMA.git. Contact: hongjie.zhu@sanofi.com Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A comparison of inpatient versus outpatient resistance patterns of pediatric urinary tract infection.

Purpose: Prior single center studies showed that antibiotic resistance patterns differ between outpatients and inpatients. We compared antibiotic resistance patterns for urinary tract infection between outpatients and inpatients on a national level.Materials and Methods: We examined outpatient and inpatient urinary isolates from children younger than 18 years using The Surveillance Network (Eurofins Scientific, Luxembourg, Luxembourg), a database of antibiotic susceptibility results, as well as patient demographic data from 195 American hospitals. We determined the prevalence and antibiotic resistance patterns of the 6 most common uropathogens, including Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus. We compared differences in uropathogen prevalence and resistance patterns for outpatient and inpatient isolates using chi-square analysis.Results: We identified 25,418 outpatient (86% female) and 5,560 inpatient (63% female) urinary isolates. Escherichi...
Gameplay, interactive drama and training: authoring edutainment stories for online players (AESOP)

This paper describes initial efforts at providing some of the technological advances of the videogame genres in a coherent, accessible format to teams of educators. By providing these capabilities inside an interactive drama generator, we believe that the full potential of educational games may eventually be realized. Sections 1 and 2 postulate three goals for reaching that objective: a toolset for interactive drama authoring, ways to insulate authors from game engines, and reusable digital casts to facilitate composability. Sections 3 and 4 present progress on those tools and an in-depth case study that made use of the resulting toolset to create a large interactive drama. We close with lessons learned to date and a look at the remaining challenges: the unpleasant reality that state-of-the-art tools are not yet able to boost the productivity of edutainment authors.
Pre-edge peak of Ti K XANES: Determined by Short- or Medium-Range Structure?

The calculations of Ti K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structures (XANES) in fresnoite Sr2TiSi2O8 are carried out using multiple-scattering method. The origins of the pre-edge peak along with the fine structures in the main peak of Ti K-edge XANES are interpreted by comparing the calculations in various modified structure models. It concludes that the pre-edge peak is dominantly determined by the structure (including both coordination and bond lengths) within the nearest-neighbor distance, while the fine structures beyond the pre-edge peak region are sensitively determined by the structure extending to the medium-range distance
Patient Tobacco Use, Quit Attempts, and Perceptions of Healthcare Provider Practices in a Safety-Net Healthcare System

Background Although smoking rates in the United States (US) are high, healthcare systems and clinicians can increase cessation rates through application of the US Public Health Service tobacco treatment guideline (2000, 2008). In primary care settings, however, guideline implementation remains low. This report presents the results from an assessment of patient tobacco use, quit attempts, and perceptions of provider treatment before (2004) and after (2010) guideline implementation. Methods By use of a systems approach, the Louisiana Tobacco Control Initiative integrated evidence-based treatment of tobacco use into patient care practices in Louisiana9s public hospital system. This prospective study, designed to collect data at 2 time points for the purpose of evaluating the effect of the 5A protocol (ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange), included 571 and 889 adult patients selected from primary care clinics in 2004 and 2010, respectively. Chi-square analyses determined differences between survey administrations, along with direct standardization of weighted rates to control for confounding factors. Results Patient reports indicated that provider adherence to the 5A clinical protocol increased from 2004 to 2010. Significant (P Conclusion Following implementation of the guideline, significant improvements were noted in patient reports of provider treatment and awareness of cessation services.
Determination of GSH, GSSG, and GSNO Using HPLC with Electrochemical Detection

GSNO is an important intermediate in nitric oxide metabolism and mediates many ()NO-mediated signaling pathways through the post-translational modification of redox-sensitive proteins. The detection of GSNO in biological samples has been hampered by a lack of sensitive and simple assays. In this work, we describe the utilization of HPLC with electrochemical detection for the identification and quantification of GSNO in biological samples. GSNO requires a high potential (>700 mV) for its electrochemical detection, similar to that of GSSG. A simple isocratic HPLC system can be used to separate and simultaneously detect GSH, GSSG, and GSNO electrochemically. This HPLC system can be utilized to measure the redox profile of biological samples and applied for the measurement of GSNO reductase activity in cells. Proper sample preparation is essential in GSNO measurements, because artifactual formation of GSNO occurs in acidic conditions due to the reaction between GSH and nitrite. Treatment of samples with ammonium sulfamate or N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) can prevent the artifactual formation of GSNO and accurately detect GSNO in biological samples. Overall, the HPLC with electrochemical detection is a powerful tool to measure redox status in cells and tissues.
Glucagon Signal-Transduction Mechanisms

The sections in this article are: 1 Glucagon Receptor 2 Regulation of Gs 3 Regulation of Adenylate Cyclase 4 Regulation of cAmp-Dependent Protein Kinase 5 Substrates of cAmp-Dependent Protein Kinase 6 Mechanisms of Calcium Mobilization Induced by Glucagon 7 Summary
Teaching Better, Teaching Together: A Coordinated Student Exit Poll Across the States

Student exit polling has demonstrated value in the classroom (Berry and Robinson 2012; Evans and Lagergren 2007; Lelieveldt and Rossen 2009), but faculty typically operate these polls in isolation. When faculty collaborate, however, students gain additional benefits from the experience. Collaboration provides a geographically diverse “student community” that allows students to engage in experiential learning beyond the confines of their immediate classrooms. The authors have created assignments and an instructor's manual on running student exit polls in undergraduate courses. Three institutions used these assignments during the Fall 2012 semester. By using structured assignments, these instructors created an opportunity to participate collaboratively with others in survey design and data analysis. Student assessment data showed that students explored their own political communities and honed skills across learning domains. Most importantly, students applied relevant political science concepts to the elect...
Suggested mechanism for the selective excretion of glucosylated albumin. The effects of diabetes mellitus and aging on this process and the origins of diabetic microalbuminuria.

In previous studies in the Sprague-Dawley rat, Williams and coworkers reported the phenomenon of selective urinary excretion of glucosylated albumin (editing, i.e., the percent glucosylation of urinary albumin is more than that of plasma albumin) by the mammalian kidney. Ghiggeri and coworkers subsequently found that the extent of editing is reduced in human diabetics. Moreover, the reduction in editing in diabetes correlates inversely with levels of microalbuminuria. We also find reduction in the extent of editing in diabetic humans. We find a striking inverse correlation not only with the magnitude of microalbuminuria but also with the extent of plasma albumin glucosylation. In contrast, we found little correlation between the reduction in editing and the duration of diabetes in human subjects. Stz induced diabetes in the Sprague-Dawley rat is associated with a striking and rapid reduction in editing which develops virtually with the same kinetics exhibited by the appearance of hyperglycemia. This loss of editing is rapidly reversed by daily administration of insulin but not by aldose reductase inhibitors. Mannitol infusion in anesthetized Wistar rats resulted in an increase in urine volume, GFR, and microalbuminuria, and was also accompanied by a marked reduction in editing. This reduction was rapidly reversed by a cessation of mannitol infusion. We propose here that glucosylated albumin (in contrast to unmodified albumin) is not reabsorbed by the proximal tubule, and thus, is preferentially excreted in the urine. We postulate that the increase in GFR which emerges as a consequence of increased plasma osmolality in diabetes mellitus delivers more albumin to the proximal tubule than can be reabsorbed. This results in a dilution of excreted glucosylated albumin molecules by excreted unmodified albumin, which appears as the early microscopic albuminuria of diabetes. Paradoxically, the fall in apparent editing is accompanied by an absolute increase in the total quantity of glucosylated albumin excreted. In contrast, we found that editing of glucosylated albumin by the normal kidney is found to gradually decline as a function of age without the appearance of microalbuminuria. This suggests that a different mechanism operates to produce the loss of editing seen with aging in man, and as clearly (but in a shorter absolute time intervals) in the Fischer-344 rat.
Mechanisms of interaction in speech production

Many theories predict the presence of interactive effects involving information represented by distinct cognitive processes in speech production. There is considerably less agreement regarding the precise cognitive mechanisms that underlie these interactive effects. For example, are they driven by purely production-internal mechanisms (e.g., Dell, 1986) or do they reflect the influence of perceptual monitoring mechanisms on production processes (e.g., Roelofs, 2004)? Acoustic analyses reveal the phonetic realisation of words is influenced by their word-specific properties – supporting the presence of interaction between lexical-level and phonetic information in speech production. A second experiment examines what mechanisms are responsible for this interactive effect. The results suggest the effect occurs on-line and is not purely driven by listener modelling. These findings are consistent with the presence of an interactive mechanism that is online and internal to the production system.
Dynamic threshold-voltage MOSFET (DTMOS) for ultra-low voltage VLSI

In this paper, we propose a novel operation of a MOSFET that is suitable for ultra-low voltage (0.6 V and below) VLSI circuits. Experimental demonstration was carried out in a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology. In this device, the threshold voltage of the device is a function of its gate voltage, i.e., as the gate voltage increases the threshold voltage (V/sub t/) drops resulting in a much higher current drive than standard MOSFET for low-power supply voltages. On the other hand, V/sub t/ is high at V/sub gs/=0, therefore the leakage current is low. We provide extensive experimental results and two-dimensional (2-D) device and mixed-mode simulations to analyze this device and compare its performance with a standard MOSFET. These results verify excellent inverter dc characteristics down to V/sub dd/=0.2 V, and good ring oscillator performance down to 0.3 V for Dynamic Threshold-Voltage MOSFET (DTMOS).
Issue Fluidity on the U.S. Supreme Court

In making decisions on the merits, the members of the U.S. Supreme Court are often willing to provide authoritative answers to questions that have not been asked and to disregard issues that the parties have presented. What accounts for these forms of issue fluidity? Analyzing data from the 1988 term of the Court, we find that issue transformation is quite common, occurring in roughly half of the cases on the plenary agenda. We propose models of both issue discovery and issue suppression that, while successful in explaining how the justices select issues, suggest that these two forms of fluidity result from largely different influences.
Fire in a thermic oak-pine forest in Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, North Carolina: importance of the shrub layer to ecosystem response.

ABSTRACT Dedication The authors of this article dedicate this paper to the memory of Dr. Bruce Haines, University of Georgia, in honor of his outstanding accomplishments in the field of ecosystem ecology. A good scientist, a good mentor, and a good friend. In the fall of 2000, a ground fire burned much of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, North Carolina, providing an opportunity to study the effects of fire on an oak-pine forest that had not been burned in 50 years. There was no immediate overstory mortality in our study plots. Most aboveground stems of Kalmia latifolia were killed back, but most survived and subsequently re-sprouted. Fire reduced surface organic horizons by nearly 50%, and increased light penetration ∼15%, resulting in greater soil temperature extremes. Fire increased species richness in the herb layer and allowed establishment of pine seedlings and also the exotic invasive tree species Paulownia tomentosa. Rates of soil respiration and litter decomposition were significantly lower in ...
Finite State Transducers Framework for Monitors Conflict Detection and Resolution

Runtime monitoring and verification systems monitor target’s events and verify them against specifications during program execution. For such systems the same event might trigger different monitors remedial actions, which can be contradictory in behavior or complementary (with a specific order). This urges the need to have a method to detect and resolve potential conflict between monitors.
The characterization and effects of microstructure on the appearance of platelet–polymer composite coatings

Although color and appearance have a psychological component, they are material properties that can be of considerable significance and economic importance to designers. Paint systems are materials that have a primary role of modifying the appearance of an engineering structure. The determination of structure–property relationships is recognized as a defining feature for different branches of materials science. These relationships are at the heart of the predictive models required for the development of new materials. Here we explore some of the microstructural parameters that control the appearance of platelet-containing paint systems. The orientation of platelets is a microstructural property known to affect the appearance of platelet-containing paints. However, prior works examined only a limited set of samples. Additionally, they did not identify other potential microstructural/formulation changes that could affect the relationship between orientation and appearance. In this paper, the orientation of the platelets was verified to be the major microstructural parameter that influenced the lightness of the paint system. In addition, the strength of this influence was shown to vary because of specific formulation changes, such as platelet size and volume fraction. The relationship between orientation and appearance was shown to depend on an additional microstructural property that is related to the size of the gaps between the platelets. We termed this additional microstructural property the gap factor. The size of the gaps between the platelets, and the coverage/shadowing of platelets by other platelets, was found to affect the scattering behavior of the system, particularly near the specular reflection direction. For example, larger gaps increase the probability of multiple reflections between the platelets. These results will guide the on-going work to develop improved structure–property relationships. Improved structure–property relationships are expected to provide more accurate models for the appearance of platelet-containing paint systems.
Changing with the Times: An Integrated View of Identity, Legitimacy, and New Venture Life Cycles

To acquire resources, new ventures need to be perceived as legitimate. For this to occur, a venture must meet the expectations of various audiences with differing norms, standards, and values as the venture evolves and grows. We investigate how the organizational identity of a technology venture must adapt to meet the expectations of critical resource providers at each stage of its organizational life cycle. In so doing, we provide a temporal perspective on the interactions among identity, organizational legitimacy, institutional environments, and entrepreneurial resource acquisition for technology ventures. The core assertion from this conceptual analysis is that entrepreneurial ventures confront multiple legitimacy thresholds as they evolve and grow. We identify and discuss three key insights related to entrepreneurs’ efforts to cross those thresholds at different organizational life cycle stages: institutional pluralism, venture-identity embeddedness, and legitimacy buffering.
Upgrades to the Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit Facility Control System and Simulator in Support of the Medium Scale Critical Components Direct Connect Test Program (Invited)

Advanced ground-test facilities such as the Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) require advanced, stateof-the-art, high-speed control systems to operate safely and robustly. Given the unique nature in which APTU and other blowdown test facilities operate, a high-fidelity transient facility math model and computer simulation is integrated into the new APTU control system to verify hardware operation and test sequence logic before each run. AEDC invested in a new control system and facility simulation for APTU in 2009. With the upcoming Medium Scale Critical Components (MSCC) direct-connect test program, additional improvements and additions will be required to support the direct-connect testing of the medium scale scramjet propulsion systems. This paper will document the enhancements to various fluid models and routines to calculate selected facility performance parameters. The new requirements imposed on the control system and facility model due to the installation of a new heated fuel system will be described.
Hydrogen Bonding Networks Tune Proton-Coupled Redox Steps during the Enzymatic Six-Electron Conversion of Nitrite to Ammonia

Multielectron multiproton reactions play an important role in both biological systems and chemical reactions involved in energy storage and manipulation. A key strategy employed by nature in achieving such complex chemistry is the use of proton-coupled redox steps. Cytochrome c nitrite reductase (ccNiR) catalyzes the six-electron seven-proton reduction of nitrite to ammonia. While a catalytic mechanism for ccNiR has been proposed on the basis of studies combining computation and crystallography, there have been few studies directly addressing the nature of the proton-coupled events that are predicted to occur along the nitrite reduction pathway. Here we use protein film voltammetry to directly interrogate the proton-coupled steps that occur during nitrite reduction by ccNiR. We find that conversion of nitrite to ammonia by ccNiR adsorbed to graphite electrodes is defined by two distinct phases; one is proton-coupled, and the other is not. Mutation of key active site residues (H257, R103, and Y206) modulat...
Effects of Processing on Structural Defects in Silicon

It is found that the recombination activities of dislocation complexes and structural defects decorating twin boundaries in as-grown, p-type cast polycrystalline silicon have no observable temperature dependence in the range of 100–300 K, but the activities of these defects in phosphorus-diffused samples decrease with the increase of temperature in the same range. The results suggest that the phosphorus diffusion can cause a significant shift of energy levels of these defects toward the valence band from the middle of the band gap.
Designing Effective Web Surveys: Implementing the Design

There's many a slip ‘twixt the cup and the lip. So, we have a well-designed and carefully tested Web survey ready to go. How do we actually implement the survey to collect the data in which we are so interested? This chapter deals with a variety of design issues related to the process of data collection. I do not address technical issues such as Web hosting, database management, CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripts to execute the survey, and so on. Rather, I focus on issues of design such as the invitation to participate, the use of incentives or other inducements to do so, the login and authentication process, the follow-up of nonrespondents and partial respondents, and so on. The focus in many of the preceding chapters was on reducing measurement error. In this chapter, the attention is more on reducing nonresponse or increasing the number of sample persons who start – and finish – the survey. No matter how well the instrument is designed, if it is poorly executed, the desired respondents may not even get to the questions that were so carefully developed. This chapter is organized around the sequence of events that typically occur in a Web survey, from the initial invitation to the completion of the survey and then any follow-up that may be necessary. Following this, I discuss the use of incentives in Web surveys.
Abstract 2874: Genetic suppression reveals DNA repair-independent antagonism between BRCA1 and COBRA1 in mammary gland development

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA Breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 is well known for its function in double strand break (DSB) DNA repair. While BRCA1 is also implicated in transcriptional regulation, the physiological significance remains unclear. Cofactor of BRCA1 (COBRA1) is a BRCA1-binding protein and an important regulator of transcription elongation. Here we used mouse genetics to interrogate functional interaction between BRCA1 and COBRA1 during mammary gland development. Tissue-specific deletion of Cobra1 reduced mammary epithelial compartments and blocked ductal morphogenesis, alveologenesis, and lactogenesis, demonstrating a pivotal role of COBRA1 in adult tissue development. Remarkably, these developmental deficiencies due to Cobra1 knockout were largely rescued by additional loss of full-length Brca1. Furthermore, Brca1/Cobra1 double knockout restored developmental transcription at puberty, altered luminal epithelial homeostasis, yet remained deficient in homologous recombination-based DSB repair. Thus our genetic suppression analysis uncovers a previously unappreciated, DNA repair-independent function of BRCA1 in antagonizing COBRA1-dependent transcription program during mammary gland development. Citation Format: Xiaowen Zhang, Sreejith J. Nair, Huai-Chin Chiang, Yao Wang, Md Jamiul Jahid, Jianhua Ruan, Victor X. Jin, Yanfen Hu, Rong Li. Genetic suppression reveals DNA repair-independent antagonism between BRCA1 and COBRA1 in mammary gland development. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2874.
The Tough Work of Leadership

Publisher Summary Organizations are human constructions, created to meet and serve the needs and wants of people. In and of themselves, organizations are not alive; they do not plan or execute; they do not have feelings. These are groups of people working on a common task. Most social tasks are being done in and by organizations, and most public goals are achieved through them. As medical centers increased in size, managing a complex organization that was hamstrung by a clumsy, bloated bureaucracy became a central challenge. Many Academic medical centers (AMCs) suffered from being over administered, under managed, and underled. A host of external forces and shocks has led to a marked increase in both the magnitude and the rate of change that confront AMCs. New visions and strategies must be developed, and this requires leadership but a clean slate is hard to come by. Organizations cannot change unless and until the people that work within them change first. This is true for a health-care system as well. Although, leadership is about progress and results, it is ultimately about ideas that are visions of a better tomorrow anchored in basic moral principles and universal values.
Whole exome sequencing identifies a homozygous POLG2 missense variant in an infant with fulminant hepatic failure and mitochondrial DNA depletion.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome manifests as diverse early-onset diseases that affect skeletal muscle, brain and liver function. Mutations in several nuclear DNA-encoded genes cause mtDNA depletion. We report on a patient, a 3-month-old boy who presented with hepatic failure, and was found to have severe mtDNA depletion in liver and muscle. Whole-exome sequencing identified a homozygous missense variant (c.544C > T, p.R182W) in the accessory subunit of mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG2), which is required for mitochondrial DNA replication. This variant is predicted to disrupt a critical region needed for homodimerization of the POLG2 protein and cause loss of processive DNA synthesis. Both parents were phenotypically normal and heterozygous for this variant. Heterozygous mutations in POLG2 were previously associated with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and mtDNA deletions. This is the first report of a patient with a homozygous mutation in POLG2 and with a clinical presentation of severe hepatic failure and mitochondrial depletion.
Spotlight on pembrolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer: the evidence to date

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors has opened a new arena in cancer therapeutics. Pembrolizumab is a highly selective anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody that has shown efficacy, leading to survival benefit and durable responses, in some patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with metastatic NSCLC, whose tumors express PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Here, we briefly discuss the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and pembrolizumab before delving into the clinical trials that have led to its just-mentioned approval in NSCLC and ongoing clinical trials. Finally, we discuss the use of biomarkers, primarily PD-L1, in the context of pembrolizumab and NSCLC.
Radioactive nuclear beams studies using deuterated liquid scintillators

With over 6000 nuclides of which more than 2000 have been synthesized, the information we have about the atomic nucleus for the most part still rests in the vicinity of beta stability. With the introduction of shortlived radioactive nuclear beams (RNB) as a tool to study nuclear reactions, many doors have been opened to allow the studies of nuclei far from stability. In this study, we used a novel deuterated liquid scintillator (BC537) as a neutron detector for the study of low-energy nuclear reactions with short-lived RNBs.
Resonance-to-intercombination-line ratios of neonlike ions in the relativistic regime

We report measurements of the intensity ratio of the $1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{1/2}^{5}3{d}_{3/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}^{6}$ resonance line to the $1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}_{3/2}^{5}3{d}_{5/2}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1{s}^{2}2{s}^{2}2{p}^{6}$ intercombination line in neonlike ${\mathrm{Kr}}^{26+}$ and ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{32+}$. The measurements were performed at the EBIT-I electron beam ion trap facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and utilized an x-ray microcalorimeter. The measured ratio for ${\mathrm{Mo}}^{32+}$ is in four times closer agreement with theoretical predictions than earlier measurements of ions with lower atomic number. Our measurement thus suggests a narrowing of the disagreement with atomic number, which had not been observed in the previously existing data. This implies that the disagreement with theory may be localized to ions within a range of atomic numbers in which intermediate coupling dominates.
Gender, media, and myth-making: constructing China’s leftover women

ABSTRACTIn the last 10 years, the term ‘leftover women’ (剩女)—educated, unmarried women over the age of 27—has emerged as a visible stereotype in popular consciousness in China. Despite the surplus of men that is a result of China’s One Child Policy, women are blamed for marriage market challenges through sexist narratives and terminology. While some scholarship treats ‘leftover women’ as an accepted demographic phenomenon with clear causes and impacts, it can also be viewed as an artificial construct created through socially generated gender stereotypes and furthered through media messaging. This article examines and compares sociological research on Chinese marriage patterns, presentations of ‘leftover women’ in contemporary Chinese media, and independent interview findings to understand the role of media in the construction of gender discourse and the perpetuation of gender stereotypes. These rigid concepts of gender roles and ideal womanhood have far-flung consequences, both for women who internalize t...
Strategies to improve beef tenderness by activating calpain-2 earlier postmortem.

Abstract Our objectives were to determine the effect of post rigor calcium chloride injection or freezing on 1) sarcoplasmic calcium concentration and calpain-2 activity of beef longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) steaks aged 1, 4, and 14 days post-treatment and on 2) Warner-Bratzler shear force, water holding capacity, and consumer acceptability of LL and SM steaks aged 4 and 14 days post-treatment. Free calcium levels in the calcium, frozen, and control steaks averaged 1256, 127, and 121 μM for the LL and 1520, 120, and 111 μM for the SM, respectively. Measurable LL native calpain-2 activity was lower in calcium and frozen steaks than control steaks ( P P P = 0.04) than control steaks. In conclusion, calcium chloride injection and freezing activate calpain-2 earlier postmortem in both muscles and calcium injection improves LL tenderness.
Candida albicans infection of prosthetic joints.

Among complications of total joint arthroplasty, infection is of the most concern because it may be devastating and potentially lethal. The rate of prosthetic joint infection has remained relatively stable at 0.5% to 2.0%, 1,2 and most frequent organisms are Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. 3 Fungal arthritis following joint replacement surgery is particularly rare with only 17 previous cases reported in the English language literature. 4-14 We describe three new cases of hip prostheses infected by Candida albicans. We expect that more such cases will be seen in the future, as immunosuppressed patients on steroids develop avascular necrosis of subarticular bone.
Effect of habitat and soil management on dispersal and distribution patterns of entomopathogenic nematodes

Abstract Previous research has documented patchy distributions of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the field, but more uniform distributions of EPNs could increase their biocontrol services in agroecosystems. Although laboratory studies have identified variation in foraging behavior of EPN species, less data is available on factors influencing their dispersal and resulting distribution patterns in the field. We examined the effect of biotic environmental factors including habitat type and plant cover, soil management and associated arthropod composition on the short- and long-term dispersal potential of Steinernema carpocapsae ALL and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora GPS11 emerging from nematode-infected host cadavers in the field. Based on bait trapping in the soil, both EPN species showed equivalent potential to disperse up to 2 m, actively or passively, in both grass and cultivated potatoes. Arthropod abundance, assessed by pitfall traps and soil core sampling, was equal in the two habitats. S. carpocapsae was detected in larger numbers in the water in pitfall traps, whereas H. bacteriophora numbers were positively correlated with mites in soil core samples. We documented aggregation of H. bacteriophora populations over the two years of the study in vegetable plots, which is consistent with earlier studies. Spatial distributions after dispersing from a grassy border into the adjacent cultivated field plots were more aggregated for H. bacteriophora than for S. carpocapsae. In most cases, no significant differences in the dispersal and spatial distribution of generally low population densities of H. bacteriophora were observed in plots with different soil management regimes, the exception being significantly lower aggregation in the first year of the study in plots with reduced tillage, cover crops, and no herbicide or insecticide treatments.
Qualitative Study to Understand Ordering of CT Angiography to Diagnose Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Room Setting.

Abstract Purpose To better understand the decision making behind the ordering of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department. Methods We conducted semistructured interviews with our institution's emergency medicine (EM) providers and radiologists who read CTPAs performed in the emergency department. We employed the Theoretical Domains Framework—a formal, structured approach used to better understand the motivations and beliefs of physicians surrounding a complex medical decision making—to categorize the themes that arose from our interviews. Results EM providers were identified as the main drivers of CTPA ordering. Both EM and radiologist groups perceived the radiologist's role as more limited. Experience- and gestalt-based heuristics were the most important factors driving this decision and more important, in many cases, than established algorithms for CTPA ordering. There were contrasting views on the value of d-dimer in the suspected PE workup, with EM providers finding this test less useful than radiologists. EM provider and radiologist suggestions for improving the appropriateness of CTPA ordering consisted of making this process more arduous and incorporating d-dimer tests and prediction rules into a decision support tool. Conclusion EM providers were the main drivers of CTPA ordering, and there was a marginalized role for the radiologist. Experience- and gestalt-based heuristics were the main influencers of CTPA ordering. Our findings suggest that a more nuanced intervention than simply including a d-dimer and a prediction score in each preimaging workup may be necessary to curb overordering of CTPA in patients suspected of PE.
Service Orientation of Libraries

Development of library services as an integral part of a community welfare is a fascinating endeavor. But it has complex factors such as adaptability to several other developments, namely, educational, occupational, cultural, social, economic aspects.
Study On The Role Of HRM In Creativity And Innovation With Special Reference To Indian Organization- A Case Study

This paper aims to explore HRM activities and processes directly or indirectly responsible for nurturing creativity and ultimately innovation in Indian organizations. Some of the HRM activities within processes have been explored by means of this qualitative study possibly nurturing the creativity in the organizations on the basis of which the innovative processes in the organizations can be built. A case study was conducted in two different multinational companies operating in a global arena, with different HRM strategies. The major three roles through which a Human Resource Manager interacts most with the employees and hence the chances to enroot innovation and creativity is identified as recruiting or Staffing, Organizing & Motivating. Despite of different strategies, the cases was found to have several similar opportunities for HRM to nurture creativity and hence innovations. The empirical material was based on interviews with employees, line managers and HR professionals employed in the two companies. Although Hrm department has no clear process for developing creativity and innovation, it has been found to nurture creativity and hence innovation.
The Doctorate in Nursing Practice: Moving Advanced Practice Nursing Even Closer to Excellence

One of the most significant events to affect advanced practice nursing is the practice doctorate. The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is firmly established as an educational alternative to the traditional academic research doctoral degree. This option empowers nurses to advance knowledge and skills in clinical practice. This article reviews the historical context that led to the introduction of the DNP and the proposal of the DNP as entry into practice for advanced practice nurses, DNP program parameters, and some of the evolving issues related to nursing's practice doctorate.
The soft side of software engineering

Software Engineering (SE) today is much more a challenge of organizational and methodological improvement than a technological one. Most software engineering courses and texts provide an excellent framework for young engineers to understand the nature of the software development process and weigh alternative approaches in practicing their craft. However, most standard texts on the subject pay little or no attention to the human factors that are operating within technological organizations. This talk will present a number of case studies based on the book Managing Humans. These case studies can be used as an adjunct to conventional SE course content to address the lack of "human centered" content.
Prevalence of hysterectomy and associated factors in women Veterans Affairs patients.

Objective To estimate the prevalence of hysterectomy and associated factors in women veterans who access care at a Veterans Affairs medical center. Study design A survey that included questions regarding hysterectomy status, demographics, medical history and validated mental health measures was mailed to 1,935 women who received care at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System between October 1996 and January 1998. Results The overall prevalence of hysterectomy was 32%, with 12% of 18-39-year-olds, 35% of 40-49-year-olds, and 57% of women 50 years old or older reporting having had a hysterectomy. In multivariable analyses, older age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.07-1.09), multiparity (OR 1.6, 1.14-2.2), self-reported polycystic ovary syndrome (OR 3.3, 1.81-5.9), chronic pelvic pain (OR 3.2, 2.1-4.9), irritable bowel syndrome (OR 1.8, 1.3-3.1) and premenstrual syndrome (OR 1.6, 1.1-2.3) were associated with prior hysterectomy. When factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in this population were omitted from the model, age (OR 1.07, 1.05-1.08), multiparity (OR 1.4, 1.0-1.9), a family history of ovarian cancer (OR 1.8, 1.2-2.8) and posttraumatic stress disorder (OR 1.4, 1.02-1.87) were associated with prior hysterectomy. Conclusion The prevalence of hysterectomy may be higher among women veterans as compared with published rates for the general population and may be related to chronic pain syndromes and/or posttraumatic stress disorder.
An Examination of Mutual Fund Timing Using Monthly Holdings Data

In this paper we use data on the monthly holdings for a set of mutual funds to study the timing ability of these funds. By examining monthly holdings we are able to see how management changes the risk parameters and industry holdings in a fund and to examine how this contributes to timing. We find evidence that timing decisions result in a decrease in performance, whether timing is measured using conditional or unconditional sensitivities. Likewise, sector rotation decisions also result in lower returns. Examining the results for individual sectors shows that the majority of the negative impact on returns from sector rotation comes about because of a fund changing exposure to high-tech stocks.
Mass screening for infectious disease containment and pandemic outbreaks: misconceptions

IR imaging in mass screening for the containment of pandemic disease is based on detecting a febril (fever) state in individuals. The ability to use IR affectively for this is dependent on a good understanding of the physiology and physics related to the pathology that we are trying to screen for and is not restricted to temperature measurements alone. The radiometric thermal data processed during real-time imaging must include calibrated reference sources, thermal pattern recognition and comparative analysis between individual people being screened. A screening test should have high ‘sensitivity’ rather than ‘specificity’ and to be effective the false negative rate must be very low. To achieve this the false positive rate will be higher by necessity and so a ‘secondary’ level of screening can be implemented to bring the false positive rate to within a manageable level by the higher ‘specificity’ secondary level of screening.
Major Complications Associated with Conventional Transbronchial Needle Aspiration.

OBJECTIVES Transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) is a widely used sampling technique for diagnosis and staging of lesions centered around bronchoscopically accessible airways. We report our single-institution experience of complications associated with conventional TBNA (C-TBNA) performed in 606 consecutive cases. METHODS Electronic medical records with bronchoscopy log data of C-TBNAs performed from January 2003 to December 2016 were assessed. All of the cases were included for a review of complications related to the performance of C-TBNA. C-TBNAs were performed in conjunction with other bronchoscopic sampling techniques such as brush, biopsy, and wash in most cases. Complications ascribed to C-TBNA only were included for this analysis and review. RESULTS Infectious complications following the performance of TBNA are related to the inoculation of oropharyngeal bacteria from the airway lumen into the sterile mediastinal, pericardial, or pleural space. CONCLUSIONS Complications related to TBNA are underappreciated mainly because of the lack of reporting and awareness. These findings should lead to heightened awareness and precaution in all patients undergoing TBNA, and extra vigilance and monitoring during and after the procedure in those receiving anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies.