cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Diseases of Ileal Pouch–Anal Anastomosis After Restorative Proctocolectomy for Ulcerative Colitis

Background & Aims: Although pouchitis is considered the most common adverse sequela of ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA), inflammatory and noninflammatory conditions other than pouchitis are increasingly being recognized. The risk factors for these non-pouchitis conditions, including Crohn's disease (CD) of the pouch, cuffitis, and irritable pouch syndrome (IPS), have not been studied. The aim of this study was to assess risk factors for inflammatory and noninflammatory diseases of IPAA in a tertiary care setting. Methods: The study consisted of 240 consecutive patients who were classified as having healthy pouches (N = 49), pouchitis (N = 61), CD of the pouch (N = 39), cuffitis (N = 41), or IPS (N =50). Demographic and clinical features were assessed to determine risk factors for each of these conditions by using logistic regression analysis. Results: Risk factors remaining in the final logistic regression models were for pouchitis: IPAA indication for dysplasia (odds ratio [OR], 3.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.69–8.98), never having smoked (OR, 5.09; 95% CI, 1.01–25.69), no use of anti-anxiety agents (OR, 5.19; 95% CI, 1.45–18.59), or use of NSAIDs (OR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.71–6.13); for CD of the pouch: a long duration of IPAA (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.12–1.30) and current smoking (OR, 4.77; 95% CI, 1.39–16.25); for cuffitis: arthralgias (OR, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.91–8.94) and younger age (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01–1.33); and for IPS: use of antidepressants (OR, 4.17, 95% CI, 1.95–8.92) or anti-anxiety agents (OR, 3.21; 95% CI, 1.34–7.47). Conclusions: The majority of risk factors for the 4 inflammatory and noninflammatory conditions of IPAA are different, suggesting that each of these diseases has a different etiology and pathogenesis. The identification and modification of these risk factors might help patients and clinicians to make a preoperative decision for IPAA, reduce IPAA-related morbidity, and improve response to treatment.
Animal Models for the Study of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Animal Models for the Study of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Oliver Oakley, Po-Ching Lin, Phillip Bridges, CheMyong Ko Reproductive Sciences Graduate Program, Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY; Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY; Department of Comparative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
Diphasic xerogels, a new class of materials: phases in the system al2o3-sio2

Two series of xerogels (desiccated hydrogels), one consisting of single phases and the other of two phases, were prepared from organic and inorganic precursors in the system Al2o3-Sio2. The effect of these nanostructural differences in the xerogel powders on the energy content and behavior on heating were studied using DTA, powder X-ray diffraction, and ultrafast heating on a strip furnace. The results demonstrate that diphasic xerogels are substantially different materials from single-phase xerogels of the same composition.
Multiprincipal Agency Relationships as Implied by Product Market Competition

This paper surveys recent work in contract theory that relates to the allocation of tasks among agents within an organization as well as to the effect of product market competition upon optimal contracting and agency costs.
Socioscope: Human Relationship and Behavior Analysis in Social Networks

In this paper, we propose a socioscope model for social-network and human-behavior analysis based on mobile-phone call-detail records. Because of the diversity and complexity of human social behavior, no one technique will detect every attribute that arises when humans engage in social behaviors. We use multiple probability and statistical methods for quantifying social groups, relationships, and communication patterns and for detecting human-behavior changes. We propose a new index to measure the level of reciprocity between users and their communication partners. This reciprocity index has application in homeland security, detection of unwanted calls (e.g., spam), telecommunication presence, and product marketing. For the validation of our results, we used real-life call logs of 81 users which contain approximately 500 000 h of data on users' location, communication, and device-usage behavior collected over eight months at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by the Reality Mining Project group. Also, call logs of 20 users collected over six months by the University of North Texas (UNT) Network Security team are used. The MIT and UNT data sets contain approximately 5000 callers. The experimental results show that our model is effective.
Effects of Hurricane Katrina and Other Adverse Life Events on Adolescent Female Offenders: A Test of General Strain Theory:

This study tested Agnew’s General Strain Theory (GST) by examining the roles of anger, anxiety, and maladaptive coping in mediating the relationship between strain and three outcomes (serious delinquency, minor delinquency, and continued involvement in the juvenile justice system) among adolescent female offenders (N = 261). Strains consisted of adverse life events and exposure to Hurricane Katrina. Greater exposure to Hurricane Katrina was directly related to serious delinquency and maladaptive coping. Hurricane Katrina also had an indirect effect on minor delinquency and Post— Katrina juvenile justice involvement mediated through maladaptive coping. Adverse life events were associated with increased anger, anxiety, and maladaptive coping. Anger mediated the relationship between adverse life events and serious delinquency. Anxiety mediated the relationship between adverse life events and minor delinquency. Maladaptive coping strategies were associated with minor delinquency and juvenile justice involveme...
Protein content of minimal and ancestral ribosome.

Minimal genome approaches seek to define the smallest gene complement compatible with modern-type cellular life on Earth. A consensus of computational and experimental approaches indicates that a minimal genome is close to 300 protein-coding genes, if a rich medium is provided for cell growth. I relate ribosomal gene content in completely sequenced genomes to ribosomal subunit structure and approximate the protein components of the putative minimal ribosome and the ribosome of the Last Universal Common Ancestor of Life. Both sets contain between 35 and 40 proteins. There is evidence of protein–protein and protein–RNA displacement in the evolution of both ribosomal subunits.
Dasatinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor increased radiation sensitivity by interfering with nuclear localization of epidermal growth factor receptor and by blocking DNA repair pathways

Abstract Background and purpose Although inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling during radiation led to improvement of tumor control and survival, novel strategies are needed to further improve the outcome of patients with locally advanced head and neck carcinoma. Because EGFR is known to interact with c-Src kinases, the present study investigated dasatinib (BMS-354825), an inhibitor of c-Src kinases, for its efficacy in enhancing radiosensitivity of human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) in vitro and examined the underlying mechanisms for this effect. Materials and methods Six HNSCC lines were exposed to dasatinib, radiation, or both, and assessed for c-Src and EGFR expression, cell survival and colony forming ability. Among these cell lines, HN-5 and FaDu lines were analyzed for induction of apoptosis, cell cycle re-distribution and for nuclear localization of EGFR, γ-H2AX and 53BP1 proteins. Immuno-precipitation and Western blots were performed to analyze the levels and binding of proteins involved in cell survival, apoptosis and DNA repair pathways. Suppression of c-Src by siRNA and subsequent clonogenic assay was performed in HN-5 cells. Results All six HNSCC lines that were examined expressed high levels of c-Src. Two (HN-5 and MDA-183) expressed higher levels of EGFR than other lines. Dasatinib suppressed cell survival of all cell lines tested independent of c-Src or EGFR levels but enhanced the radiosensitivity of HN-5 and MDA-183. HN-5 and FaDu were analyzed further. Dasatinib suppressed phosphorylation of c-Src in both cell lines, but decreased repair of radiation-induced DNA damage in HN-5 cells only as evidenced by suppression of c-Abl and Nbs-1 activity, inhibition of the association between c-Src and EGFR or Her-2, prolongation of nuclear γ-H2AX and 53BP1 foci and inhibition of EGFR nuclear localization and its association with DNA-PKcs. Finally, partial suppression of c-Src resulted in a small increase in HN-5 cell radiosensitivity. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that dasatinib induces apoptosis and blocks DNA repair in EGFR-expressing HNSCC cells and improves radiotherapy outcome. These findings warrant further investigation using in vivo tumor models for potential translation into clinical testing.
Development of a tool to improve the quality of decision making in atrial fibrillation.

Background Decision-making about appropriate therapy to reduce the stroke risk associated with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) involves the consideration of trade-offs among the benefits, risks, and inconveniences of different treatment options. The objective of this paper is to describe the development of a decision support tool for NVAF based on the provision of individualized risk estimates for stroke and bleeding and on preparing patients to communicate with their physicians about their values and potential treatment options.
Risk and Culture: An Essay on the Selection of Technical and Environmental Dangers

(2010). Risk and Culture: An Essay on the Selection of Technical and Environmental Dangers. International Review of Public Administration: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 81-82.
Corporate Welfare in the Federal Budget

Rising federal spending and huge deficits are pushing the nation toward a financial and economic crisis. Policymakers should find and eliminate wasteful, damaging, and unneeded programs in the federal budget. One good way to save money would be to cut subsidies to businesses. Corporate welfare in the federal budget costs taxpayers almost $100 billion a year. Policymakers claim that business subsidies are needed to fix alleged market failures or to help American companies better compete in the global economy. However, corporate welfare often subsidizes failing and mismanaged businesses and induces firms to spend more time on lobbying rather than on making better products. Instead of correcting market failures, federal subsidies misallocate resources and introduce government failures into the marketplace. While corporate welfare may be popular with policymakers who want to aid home-state businesses, it undermines the broader economy and transfers wealth from average taxpaying households to favored firms. Corporate welfare also creates strong ties between politicians and business leaders, and these ties are often the source of corruption scandals in Washington. Americans are sick and tired of “crony capitalism,” and the way to solve the problem is to eliminate business subsidy programs. Corporate welfare doesn’t aid economic growth and it is an affront to America’s constitutional principles of limited government and equality under the law. Policymakers should therefore scour the budget for business subsidies to eliminate. Budget experts and policymakers may differ on exactly which programs represent unjustified corporate welfare, but this study provides a menu of about $100 billion in programs to terminate.
Being the CEO's boss: An examination of board chair orientations

Research summary: Scholars have traditionally conceptualized board leadership as a dichotomous construct. A combined CEO and board chair position is interpreted as reflecting a more collaborative approach to corporate governance, whereas separate positions are interpreted as ensuring greater board control. I challenge this conceptualization and posit that a separate board chair can be oriented toward collaboration as well as—or in place of—control. I analyze newly available data from corporate proxy statements to identify these two board chair orientations and test competing perspectives on how they impact profitability growth in a sample of S&P 500 firms. The results indicate that board leadership is a more nuanced phenomenon than the extant literature would suggest. Managerial summary: What is the role of the board chair when not the CEO? Corporate governance experts assert the board chair's role is to monitor and control the CEO. Yet, board chairs often play another, more collaborative role. Board chairs frequently provide advice and guidance to CEOs and relieve CEOs of board leadership burdens, enabling the CEOs to focus on their primary responsibilities. In this study, I examine the effect of board chair orientations on financial performance and find that, as with separating or joining the CEO and board chair positions, the profitability implications of the selected orientation are far from universal. Board chairs must consider their firm's performance context in order to get the most out of a particular approach to being the CEO's boss. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Reconsideration: Italian-American Writers: Notes For a Wider Categorization

There is no question that an Italian-American literature exists, although an accurate critical classification is yet to come. Can we say that Christopher Columbus' journals and diaries, are at least paradoxically an early achievement of that literature? From the very first moment of its discovery, actually beginning with Columbus' journals, America has inspired some form of literature; and through the centuries it has developed a certain power of attraction for Italians. To mention just a few names, the eighteenth century dramatist Vittorio Alfieri celebrated American independence and the heroic feats of General Washington (whose name he wrote as "Vasinton") in five odes grouped under the title L'America libera. The first and never published work of Giovanni Verga, Amore e Patria (1857), is an historical novel set in colonial America during the time of the Revolution; and in 1894 Cesare Pascarella wrote a grotesque epic in Roman dialect about Columbus' enterprise: La scoperta dell 'America. Can these Italian writers, because of their interest in America, be considered somehow already ItalianAmerican writers?
Diagnostic Parasitology: An Overview of Topics

This is the first of four continuing education articles focusing on diagnostic medical parasitology. Although the next three articles will address specific areas more thoroughly, this article briefly outlines a number of topics on parasitology to provide the reader with updated information. Some of these topics are particularly timely for laboratories facing full-time employee reductions, cost containment, additional regulations, and extensive procedure reviews. Topics for the second through fourth installments in this series include diagnostic techniques, direct detection methods and serodiagnosis, and parasitic infections in compromised hosts.
Are MOOCs a Solution or a Symptom

Despite the lack of a viable business model and very high student attrition rates, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have become the current obsession in higher education. Even so, there is still...
Effects of Acetazoleamide, Chlorothiazide, and Dichlorphenamide on Electrolyte Excretion in the Alligator.

SummaryProlonged administration of acetazoleamide to alligators leads to the excretion of considerable amounts of chloride which produces an alkalemia. A continued K excretion also occurs which has little effect on the plasma level, presumably due to a removal of K from the cells in an effort to compensate for the loss. No evidence of the development of a refractory state to acetazoleamide after 30 days of injections was noted nor was there any sign that the decreased plasma Cl prevented the excretion of Cl. The degree of K loss was not directly correlated with hydrogen ion excretion. Two new carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, chlorothiazide and dichlorphenamide were tested. Dichlorphenamide was more active in promoting K and Cl loss at low dose levels than acetazoleamide. Chlorothiazide showed no significant activity. Since the effects noted after the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase by acetazoleamide and dichlorphenamide are not the same, it is probable that something more than simple inhibition is involved.
Spice up teaching online

As the online movement progresses, nurse educators rely on leading organizations such as Quality Matters and The Sloan Consortium for guidance in best practices.1,2 These organizations provide resources aimed at ensuring quality in online course design and administration. They provide excellent guid
A century of Chinook salmon consumption by marine mammal predators in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

As many marine mammal populations have increased following bans on their harvest, there has been a growing need to understand potential impacts of these population changes on coastal marine ecosystems. Quantifying consumption of prey species, such as fish, is particularly important when those same prey are also targeted by commercial fisheries. Estimating the impact of marine mammal predators on prey fish depends upon knowledge of marine mammal diet composition; scientific advances over the last century have improved understanding of diets but have also led to inconsistent methods that challenge attempts at synthesis and comparison. Meta-analysis techniques offer the opportunity to overcome such challenges, yet have not been widely applied to synthesize marine mammal diets over space and time. As a case study, we focus on synthesizing diet studies of Chinook (king) salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) by four species of marine mammal predators in the Northeast Pacific Ocean: Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and killer whales (Orcinus orca). We also highlight several simple meta-analyses for which these types of diet databases may be employed. Our assembled database consists of > 330 records, spanning more than 100 years. Results indicate that the frequency of occurrence of Chinook salmon in killer whale studies is high (63%) relative to pinniped studies (< 10%). They also suggest a strong increasing ability to discriminate Chinook salmon from other salmonids, which we attribute to switches in diet studies from lethal or observational sampling toward molecular methods (DNA, fatty acids). Our database and analysis code are published as supplementary material, which we hope will be useful for other researchers and will inspire more of these syntheses.
Epidemiological Analysis on Leprosy in Yunnan Province in 2012

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics for new detecting cases of leprosy in 2012,in Yunnan Province,and provide clue and foundation for prevention and treatment in leprosy control.Methods The date of diagnosed leprosy patients in 2012 in Yunnan Province were collected and analyzed by disease reporting information system. Results 230 new cases were founded in 2012, and the discovery rate was 0.50/100000. 4.35% of new cases were children,64.35% of new cases were MB and 19.57% had grade 2 disability. 17 recurrent cases were founded in 2012,and 6 of them had received MDT. By the end of 2012, there were still 1084 present case in Yunnan Province,the prevalence rate was 0.24/10 000,and 485 of them need MDT. Conclusion The prevalence of leprosy was decreased,and the prevalence varies a lot in different regions. Honghe and Wenshan are still the focus regions. Leprosy is still a serious public health and social problem in Yunnan Province. In order to reduce the burden of leprosy and eliminate the leprosy danger,long-term financing investment and prevention are still needed.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-a-induced Expression of Heat Shock Prote in 70 in Neonatal Rat Ventricular Cardiomyocytes

Heat shock protein 70 is essential for c el lular recovery,survival and maintenance of cellular function.Heat shock protei n 70 function as molecular chaperons in protein folding and it is a role of card ioprotection against various stresses.Different proteins expression of tissues f rom failing hearts using proueomics have been studied before.HSP70 was found hig hly expressed in the tissues and blood samples from heart failure patients compa ired with non-failing hearts.For exploiting the use of HSP70 as a therapeutic marker,HSP70 expression was studied using Neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocyt es(NRVM) by teating with TNF-α with various concentrations and time points in vitro.Primary cultures were prepared from neonatal rat ventricular myocytes.Cu ltured cardiomyocytes were incubated with TNF-α at doses of 40 200 and 800U /ml for a dynamic time point as 1,6,12 and 24 hours.NRVM treated with heat sho ck(42℃) were used as positive control.The expression of myocyte HSP70 was quan tified by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry using a specific monocl onal antibody.Immunohistochemical analysis revealed HSP70 were nearly not visib le in control cells.However,at 12 h post-hypoxia/SD,HSP70-immunoreactivity (IR) was evident in the cells.The initial demonstration that TNF-alpha exerts c oncentration-and time-dependent effects on the expression of HSP 70 in NRVM w as constinuted.The expression of HSP70 influenced by TNF-α can indicate the p ossibility of a pharmacological approach to HSP70 induction and cardiac protecti on,which may ultimately be of clinical relevance.
Topics in Neonatal Informatics: Essential Functionalities of the Neonatal Electronic Health Record

Despite the increased use of electronic health records (EHRs), many pediatricians use EHRs that do not contain pediatric functionalities, and no recent attempts to define neonatal functionalities have been made to date. This article describes the fundamental functionalities required in an EHR to provide safe and effective care to neonates, including neonatal data requirements and appropriate display of neonatal data; the need for the mother-infant dyad in the EHR; neonatology-specific scores; and special considerations for medication ordering, nutrition, newborn screening, transitions of care, and documentation. Many EHRs currently lack the functionalities required to provide safe and effective care to neonates. Neonatologists must lobby for better tools to ensure quality and safety for their patients.
Truss Analysis by Stiffness Considerations

Method of analysis, particularly advantageous for redundant structures, is developed in detail for pin connected truss; method enables deflections, member forces, and reactions to be determined for any arbitrary set of applied loads; equilibrium and continuity requirements can be satisfied by simple tabular procedure for writing stiffness matrix of entire structure.
The Societal Responsibilities of Computational Modelers: Human Values and Professional Codes of Ethics

Information and communication technology ICT has increasingly important implications for our everyday lives, with the potential to both solve existing social problems and create new ones. This article focuses on one particular group of ICT professionals, computational modelers, and explores how these ICT professionals perceive their own societal responsibilities. Specifically, the article uses a mixed-method approach to look at the role of professional codes of ethics and explores the relationship between modelers' experiences with, and attitudes toward, codes of ethics and their values. Statistical analysis of survey data reveals a relationship between modelers' values and their attitudes and experiences related to codes of ethics. Thematic analysis of interviews with a subset of survey participants identifies two key themes: that modelers should be faithful to the reality and values of users and that codes of ethics should be built from the bottom up. One important implication of the research is that those who value universalism and benevolence may have a particular duty to act on their values and advocate for, and work to develop, a code of ethics.
A Study on the Dynamic Interaction of Shock Response Fixtures and Test Payload

Shaker system physical characteristics (e.g. shake tables, modal shakers, and shock fixtures) vary from one laboratory to another. Parameters such as size and payload capacity, make every system's dynamic characteristics unique. The commonly used control accelerometer cannot adequately adjust for the actual dynamic interaction/dynamic coupling effects between the test article and excitation fixture. Therefore, the payload/test article deformation will vary from test fixture to test fixture, making every test different—even with the same Shock Response Spectrum (SRS).
Drone Disorientations: HOW “UNMANNED” WEAPONS QUEER THE EXPERIENCE OF KILLING IN WAR

Killing with drones produces queer moments of disorientation. Drawing on queer phenomenology, I show how militarized masculinities function as spatiotemporal landmarks that give killing in war its “orientation” and make it morally intelligible. These bearings no longer make sense for drone warfare, which radically deviates from two of its main axes: the home–combat and distance–intimacy binaries. Through a narrative methodology, I show how descriptions of drone warfare are rife with symptoms of an unresolved disorientation, often expressed as gender anxiety over the failure of the distance–intimacy and home–combat axes to orient killing with drones. The resulting vertigo sparks a frenzy of reorientation attempts, but disorientation can lead in multiple and sometimes surprising directions – including, but not exclusively, more violent ones. With drones, the point is that none have yet been reliably secured, and I conclude by arguing that, in the midst of this confusion, it is important not to lose ...
Real-time intraoperative monitoring of blood coagulability via coherence-gated light scattering

When characterizing dynamic processes, ergodicity—that is, the equivalence of time averages and of averages over a system’s possible microstates—is often invoked. Yet many complex social, economic and material systems are such that practical observations cannot survey the entire ensemble of microstates. In the case of non-ergodic fluids, their slow structural dynamics makes such an approach prohibitive. Blood is a prominent example of a non-ergodic, complex fluid for which today’s standards for coagulation tests in vivo are chemically induced offline assays. Here, we show that heterodyne amplification—that is, amplification of a signal by frequency conversion—combined with suitable control of spatiotemporal coherence permits measurements of non-stationary dynamics in non-ergodic, complex media. By taking advantage of this approach, we developed an optical-fibre-based tool that can be directly incorporated into standard vascular-access devices for real-time monitoring of blood coagulability in the operating room. A light-scattering method implemented by using fibre-optic technology that can be directly incorporated into standard vascular-access devices allows for real-time monitoring of blood coagulability in the operating room.
The Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of "Ex corde Ecclesiae": Toward a "Communio" between the Magisterium and Theology.

Ex corde Ecclesiae (1990) continues to be the normative teaching of the universal Church twenty-fi ve years after it was promulgated by Pope John Paul II, and its Application for the United States (2000) remains in force as particular law. Minimalist interpretations have emphasized the requirement of the mandatum , the juridical link between the local bishop and Catholic theologians. However, this incorrectly reduces the teaching authority of bishops to merely its juridical component and limits the role of theologians to explicating doctrinal teaching. And, although the controversy regarding the mandatum itself has subsided, a reductive juridical view of communion remains a serious concern. The present essay, therefore, calls for a reinterpretation of Ex corde Ecclesiae through the lens of communio , which emphasizes the mutual responsibility of bishops and theologians to ensure the future vitality of Catholic colleges and universities.
Sofosbuvir–velpatasvir: A single-tablet treatment for hepatitis C infection of all genotypes

Purpose The pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, interaction potential, efficacy, and safety of the newest direct-acting antiviral (DAA) medication for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C are reviewed. Summary Nonstructural proteins 5A (NS5A) and 5B (NS5B) are key drivers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. Velpatasvir, an inhibitor of NS5A, was coformulated with the NS5B inhibitor sofosbuvir to provide a single-tablet combination DAA (Epclusa, Gilead Sciences). Sofosbuvir–velpatasvir was shown to have excellent activity against the 6 most prevalent HCV genotypes in the United States, with reported rates of sustained virological response at 12 weeks after treatment completion ranging from 95% to 100% in various HCV-infected populations, including patients with compensated cirrhosis and prior treatment failures. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis or HIV coinfection, reported cure rates are 85–100% and 92–100%, respectively. The duration of treatment with sofosbuvir–velpatasvir is 12 weeks regardless of the HCV genotype involved, previous treatment, and the presence of cirrhosis or baseline resistance-associated NS5A mutations. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis, sofosbuvir–velpatasvir must be used in combination with ribavirin. Sofosbuvir–velpatasvir was well tolerated in clinical trials; adverse effects reported at a rate of ≥10% were fatigue, headache, nausea, and nasopharyngitis. Conclusion Sofosbuvir–velpatasvir is a DAA and the first single-tablet regimen to treat HCV infection caused by all genotypes. The efficacy and tolerability of sofosbuvir–velpatasvir have been observed in patients with types of HCV infection that traditionally have been difficult to treat.
Management of suspected thyroglossal duct cysts

Abstract Aim of study The aim of this study was to evaluate management of children with an anterior midline neck swelling by establishing 1) whether a preoperative ultrasound scan (USS) was appropriately requested, performed and reported; 2) whether there was preoperative infection; 3) whether a Sistrunk procedure was performed; 4) the rate of thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) recurrence following simple excision vs. Sistrunk procedure. Methods A single centre retrospective study of children who underwent surgery for anterior midline neck swelling between April 2000 and May 2015 at our institution was performed. These were identified using a clinical coding system, and data were collected from electronic medical records, radiology, and histopathology reports. Recurrence rates between simple excision and Sistrunk groups were compared using Chi-square test. Main results 227 patients were identified (115 male, 112 female). 169 (74%) had a preoperative USS. The presence of a thyroid gland was stated in 79% of USS reports. This increased to 92% when the requesting surgeon had specifically asked about this. 48 (21%) patients underwent simple excision, while 175 (77%) had a Sistrunk procedure. Recurrence was significantly more likely following simple excision than a Sistrunk procedure (29% vs 6.9%; P Conclusion Preoperative USS should be performed in all patients with an anterior midline neck swelling. Appropriate requesting increases likelihood of a report confirming (or otherwise) the presence of a thyroid gland. A Sistrunk procedure is the operation of choice in all children presenting with an anterior midline neck swelling. The surgeon cannot reliably differentiate a TGDC from alternative pathology intraoperatively. Level of evidence Treatment study: level IV.
Critical service learning across two required marketing classes

Business service learning projects have the potential to be a state-of-the-art instructional laboratory to teach and apply theory and make a substantial impact on the community. In this article, the author presents a service learning project that is embedded in two consecutive required courses of the marketing major and has been conducted and expanded by consecutive marketing teams over the last four years. The project follows a critical service learning pedagogy in that it redistributes power among stakeholders, promotes the development of authentic relationships, and works for social change. Insight is provided for other business faculty engaging in service learning projects.
Stark Spectroscopy of Photosynthetic Systems

The effects of applied electric fields on the absorption or emission spectrum of a molecule is known as Stark Spectroscopy. This method probes the movement of charge associated with optical excitation, and is thus sensitive to features which are important for chromophore systems that carry out charge separation, such as photosynthetic systems. This chapter updates a review written about 2 years ago which also described electric field effects on reaction dynamics, notably electron transfer reactions (Boxer, 1993). Several recent extensions of the method such as higher order Stark Spectroscopy and vibrational Stark Spectroscopy are discussed along with examples. Experimental methods and methods of analyzing spectra are discussed in great detail, along with a discussion of experimental and conceptual issues which complicate the analysis of Stark spectra.
Abstract 3207: Pre-procedural International Normalized Ratio and Hemorrhagic Complications associated with Neurointerventional Procedures

Background: Pre-procedural elevated international normalized ratio (INR) is associated with higher bleeding complication but the role of INR elevation in determining the rate of bleeding complications in minimally invasive neurointerventional procedures is not known. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the rates of hemorrhagic complications associated with consecutive neurointerventional procedures at two comprehensive stroke centers from July 2009 through June 2011. Patients with hemorrhage prior to the procedure were excluded. We ascertained any intra or extracranial hemorrhagic complications within 24 hours of the procedure. The severity of hemorrhagic complications were classified according to the Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries (GUSTO) classification into severe or life-threatening (either intracranial hemorrhage or bleeding that causes hemodynamic compromise and requires intervention); moderate (bleeding that requires blood transfusion but does not result in hemodynamic compromise); and mild (bleeding that does not meet criteria for either severe or moderate bleeding). Results: A total of 551 procedures were reviewed (49% women, mean age [≠SD] 56±17 years). The procedures performed included mechanical thrombectomy/intra-arterial thrombolysis (n=87), endovascular treatment of cerebral vasospasm (n=84), carotid artery angioplasty/stent placement (n=82), aneurysm embolization (n=65), intracranial angioplasty/stent placement (n=47), extracranial vertebral angioplasty/stent (n=29), tumor embolization (n=23), AVM embolization (n=20), and other procedures (n=114). Of these procedures, 21 procedures were performed in patients with pre-procedure INR of 1.5 or greater. After The rates of severe or life-threatening bleeding was higher in patients with pre-procedural INR greater than or equal to 1.5 compared with those with pre-procedural INR less than 1.5 (24% vs. 7.0%, p=0.0165). After adjusting for age and gender, the difference between the groups remained statistically significant (odds ratio 3.80, 95% CI 1.27-11.375). The rates of moderate and minor bleeding complications were similar in patients stratified by pre-procedure INR. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that patients who undergo neurointerventional procedures with pre-procedure INR of 1.5 or greater have a three-fold higher risk of severe or life-threatening bleeding and neurointerventional procedures should be avoided.
Retinoids and the Eye

Systemic retinoids are being used more frequently to treat various disorders of the skin, particularly disorders of keratinization. They are promising agents for chemoprevention of cancer and as such may be widely used in the future. Both natural and synthetic retinoids may affect the eye, both on the surface epithelium and the visual metabolism. Three basic effects of pharmacologic doses of synthetic retinoids have been seen. Blepharoconjunctivitis has been particularly prominent with isotretinoin use. Pseudotumor cerebri has been reported sporadically. Recently, night blindness has been reported with both isotretinoin and fenretinide. The greater use of isotretinoin may be more important in explaining the increased incidence of these side effects than is the individual metabolism of the different available synthetic retinoids. These three major side effects of the eye will be carefully evaluated as newer synthetic retinoids are proposed for further trials. Fortunately, it seems that all of these ocular manifestations are dose dependent and reversible, giving the clinician several alternatives to adjust the treatment regimen.
Trace metals in edible tissues of livestock and poultry

Data from a random-sampling study are presented for trace metals in edible tissues of livestock (bovine including bull, steer, cow heifer, calf; ovine including bull, steer, cow, heifer, calf; ovine including mature sheep and lambs; porcine including market hogs, boar/stag, and slow) and poultry (including young and mature chicken, young turkey, and duck). Tissue homogenates were ashed, and residual materials were dissolved in hydrochloric acid for analysis by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Statistical summaries of data are provided for the trace metals lead, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, and zinc. The heavy metals of toxicological concern, lead and cadmium, are emphasized in this study. Lead and cadmium were rarely detected in muscle (0.2-0.5% positive among 2314 animals sampled). Lead was also infrequently detected in liver (1.8% positive) and kidney (2.4% positive). Nearly 46% of livers analyzed were positive for cadmium, and approximately 78 of kidney samples were positive for cadmium. No regulatory limits are established in the United States for the trace metals reported in this study, although restrictions on the use of kidneys from mature poultry as human food have been established because of concern about potential cadmium levels. Kidneys from this study, more frequently than livers, bore cadmiummore » levels that exceeded the regulatory limits of other countries or organizations. Regulatory implications of the data are discussed. 23 refs., 7 tabs.« less
Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma: a population-based survival analysis

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma is an uncommon malignant neoplasm seen most frequently in the salivary glands, representing approximately 1 to 2% of salivary gland tumors. Less than 600 cases have been reported in the literature since its initial description in 1972. The aim of this study was to examine demographic, site, stage, and survival factors in patients with epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma. The 1973–2014 SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) cancer database was queried for patients treated for epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma. The data was analyzed for patient T (tumor), N (nodal), and M (metastasis) stage, tumor site, and demographic characteristics. The Kaplan-Meier model was used to estimate actuarial survival. A total of 468 patients were identified. White patients represented 78.0% of the total. There were 291 female patients and 177 male patients. Overall 5-, 10-, and 20-year survival was 72.7%, 59.5%, and 38.3%, respectively. Mean survival time was 165.5 months. Parotid gland was the most common site with 57.7% of patients, with submandibular gland representing 9.8% of patients. Distant metastasis (M) status was unknown in 33.3%, with 2.6% being M1, 3.0% being MX, and 61.1% M0. Nodal metastasis (N) status was unknown in 33.3%, while 4.4% were N+, 4.7% were NX, and 57.5% were N0. 88.2% of patients had surgery as part or all of the treatment regimen. Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that AJCC overall stage, primary tumor (T) stage, nodal (N) stage, presence of distant metastasis (M1), age at diagnosis, race, and non-surgical treatment significantly affected survival. On multivariate analysis age, race, AJCC stage, T, N, M stage, and treatment type were significant. Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma is a malignant, histologically biphasic neoplasm most frequently seen in the parotid gland. The nodal and distant metastasis rates are low. Age at diagnosis, race, AJCC stage, T, N, M stage, and treatment type all significantly affected survival.
Using Workforce Inter-Personnel Diversity as a Unique Talent Management System Component

To develop employees in the workplace, the employee, the organizational leaders, and the HRD professionals must all believe that the employee has potential. To motivate a diverse workforce with different KSAs within the organizational culture, the focus should not only be upon the differences in various protected class categories but also on how to capitalize on these dissimilarities by building bridges upon or over them using workforce inter-personnel diversity strategies. This book asks organizational leaders, and HRM and HRD professionals to look at talent management from the workforce inter-personnel diversity perspective. They can consider developing all employees by position and still accommodate high potential employees. Workforce inter-personnel diversity as a component of a talent management system must be evaluated and sustained to remain a viable tool for leaders and employees in the workplace. Managing workforce inter-personnel diversity requires forward-thinking approaches including establishing unity among employees, valuing employees’ qualifications, training and developing employees, supporting employee self-development, providing career pathways and management systems that support the pathways, and valuing employees’ time. Organizational leaders’ diversity intelligence (DQ), and acknowledgment and understanding of all employees provides them with the workforce inter-personnel diversity knowledge to enhance and improve organizational performance. Five aspects of a talent management system are aligned with workforce inter-personnel diversity initiatives.
Investigation on Performance Difference Between Air and Liquid Close Loop Heatsink in a 1U Server

Thermal challenge increases dramatically with the increasing processors Thermal Design Power (TDP), especially in high density system with limited space for thermal solutions. Open loop liquid cooling solution is one option to support high power processor. However some users request to keep the same platform form factor to support next generation processor. Enhanced Volume Air Cooling (EVAC), Liquid Assisted Air Cooling (LAAC), Loop Heat Pipe (LHP)and Loop Thermosyphon Heatsink (LTSH)are widely deployed by users. Comparison of thermal performance using these four different cooling technologies in Intel 1U server with board S7200AP is presented in this paper. Thermal experimental data shows that heatsink resistance Psi ca varies from 0.107 C/W to 0.204 C/W with these four different solutions. Simulation modeling with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)tool as Flotherm is calibrated for each individual technologies. The difference in heat exchanger size, fin exchanger surface, system boundary condition all lead to thermal performance difference besides different technology. Therefore, simulation modelling is adjusted to show the capability limitation and true difference for each technology under same heat exchanger keep out zone (KOZ)and system boundary in 1U form factor.
Student portfolios and software quality metrics in computer science education

Cataloging of exemplars of an individual student's work is standard practice for certain disciplines, especially in creative, visually-oriented disciplines. These portfolios are often used during the interview and candidate identification phase of a student's job search. Recent trends have increased awareness and use of student work portfolios in scientific disciplines as well. While use of portfolios for interviewing purposes may never become standard practice in the field of computer science, we propose that there are nonetheless sufficient pedagogical advantages to be offered in the collection of student portfolios to make the effort of creating and maintaining them worthwhile. These advantages include the ability to conduct longitudinal studies of student performance, quantitative curriculum and course assessment, and prevention of forms of cheating which are not easily detectable by other means. In order to make optimal use of student portfolios, we also suggest use of automated software quality metrics. However, as there are no widely used pedagogically focused software metrics, we outline the requirements for such a metric.
Revision of the Cavovarus Foot

Many procedures in reconstructive or trauma surgery of the foot and ankle may need to be revised, particularly those that result in a cavovarus deformity of the foot. Generally, this is a result of a malposition, particularly of the hindfoot, when the patient ambulates. This is not tolerated well, as the patient will experience a feeling of walking on the lateral border of the foot. The patients, generally, have a hindfoot in varus and a pronated forefoot. They may also have a bean-shaped foot with the lateral column being longer then the medial column. Numerous other associated pathological conditions may be related to these cavovarus feet, such as stress fractures of the foot, recurrent ankle sprains, lateral border of the foot calluses, or major foot collapse.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Athletes have rates of ADHD similar or greater than the general population. It is important for the physician treating athletes to recognize ADHD symptoms and to be able to diagnose or refer for diagnosis of the condition and to monitor for adequacy of treatment, presence of side effects, and potential consequences of treatment with medications, including toxicities, medical risk, and the legal status of the medications within the competitive arena. Physical activity helps with symptoms, but may not be sufficient treatment alone for ADHD. Many of the perceived ergogenic effects of stimulant use in elite athletes have not been proven, yet the medications are subject to abuse based on their perceived value. The medical toxicities of cardiac arrhythmias and risk of heat injury are widely cited, but largely unfounded or unproven.
Effect of SLCO1B1 Polymorphisms on High-Dose Methotrexate Clearance in Children and Young Adults With Leukemia and Lymphoblastic Lymphoma.

High-dose (HD) methotrexate (MTX) is a critical component of treatment for hematologic malignancies in children and young adults. Therapeutic drug monitoring is necessary due to substantial interindividual variation in MTX clearance. Common function-altering polymorphisms in SLCO1B1 (encodes OATP1B1, which transports MTX) may contribute to clearance variability. We performed pharmacokinetic modeling using data for 106 children and young adults treated with HD MTX for hematologic malignancies; of 396 total courses of HD MTX, 360 consisted of 5 g/m2 over 24 hours. We evaluated the contribution of clinical covariates and SLCO1B1 genotype (388A>G and 521T>C) to MTX clearance variability. Of the clinical covariates studied, patient weight improved the pharmacokinetic model most significantly (P < 0.001). The addition of the SLCO1B1 variants individually further improved the model (P < 0.05 for each). An interaction between these variants was suggested when both were included (P = 0.017). SLCO1B1 genotype should be considered in efforts to personalize HD MTX dosing.