cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ARP-Miner: Mining Risk Patterns of Android Malware

Android applications need to request permissions to access sensitive personal data and system resources. Certain permissions may be requested by Android malware to facilitate their malicious activities. In this paper, we present ARP-Miner, an algorithm based on association rule mining that can automatically extract Android Risk Patterns indicating possible malicious activities of apps. The experimental results show that ARP-Miner can efficiently discover risk rules associating permission request patterns with malicious activities. Examples to relate the extracted risk patterns with behaviors of typical malware families are presented. It is also shown that the extracted risk patterns can be used for malware detection.
Bioassay of Endotoxin Inactivation in the Lead-Sensitized Rat

SummaryInactivation of endotoxin by homogenates of rat liver, spleen, lung, brain, and kidney was bioassayed in the lead-sensitized rat. The assay was sensitive and reproducible in the range of 0.3-3.0 μg per rat of S. enteritidis lipopolysaccharide iv. Incubation of endotoxin with 1% (w/v) liver or spleen homogenates produced marked endotoxin inactivation. Slight inactivation was observed with lung homogenate. Kidney and brain homogenates were ineffective.
Low Dimensional POD based Estimation of a 3D Turbulent Separated Flow

Low dimensional mode ls have proven useful for feedback control and estimation of flow fields such as separated flow over airfoils, cavities and wakes. While feedback control based on global flow estimation can be very efficient, it is often difficult to estimate the flow stat e if structures of very different length scales are present in the flow . Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) will not reliably separate the structures according to size, since it optimizes modes based on energy only. In this work, we investigate and comp are the use of hybrid POD methods employing both 2D and 3D modes, as well as the use of temporal and spatial filtering to precondition snapshot set s for the derivation of POD modes. Th ree dimensional flow data from the simulations of turbulent flow over a circular cylinder at Re=20,000 and Re=3,900 are used to evaluate the usefulness of both hybrid and filtered POD models of the wake flow for the purpose of flow state estimation . We demonstrate the ability of the hybrid POD models to estimate both strength and shedding phase of the von Karman modes . We compare these results to a filtered 3D POD, and show that it can achieve similar results for the circular cylinder wake. Both methods are able to capture the large features of the flow , while not being contam inated by small scale turbulent structures . Thu s, filtered 3D POD appears to be an alternative means for modeling of 3D flows .
Fabrication and Characterization of CVD-Deposited TiC-SiC Composites

Composites with several compositions in TiC-SiC system were fabricated by chemical vapor deposition and several properties were measured. The CVD conditions used were, TiCl4-SiCl4-CH4-H2 system, deposition temperature of 1350°C and total gas pressure of 60Torr. The TiC-SiC composites with various compositions were fabricated by stepwise change in the Ti/(Ti+Si) ratio in the feed gas on the basis of thermodynamic calculation for the system. The obtained composites were fully dense with columnar structure perpendicular to the substrate plane and had (220) orientation on parallel there to. Thermal expansion coefficients of the TiC-SiC composites parallel to substrate ranged from 4.5 to 7.4×10-6K-1 and Young's Modulus perpendicular to the substrate ranged from 220 to 467GPa depending on the composition. These measured values agreed with that calculated from some rules of mixture in composite.
Obstacle Avoidance and Cloud Detection for Unmanned Aerial Systems

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that operate in civil airspace and ∞y autonomously must have regard for the safety of other vehicles in space the UAV must be equipped with technology for obstacle detection and avoidance. One of the problems with UAVs is the detection and avoidance of clouds and other visual obstructions. In this paper, we propose a system for automated detection of cloud edges as well as the sky regions to maintain operation in visual meteorological conditions using image processing. The solution is based on partial difierential equations (PDE) for image processing. Anisotropic difiusion is a wellknown PDE-based technique and has been widely used in image processing for denoising and segmentation. Recently, new anisotropic difiusion techniques such as anti-geometric difiusion models have been developed which are used for adaptive thresholding and denoising. Using techniques for region merging along with anti-geometric difiusion, helps to separate the scene in a few number of signiflcant regions, thus providing an integrated system for segmentation. This technique works well when there is contrast between the cloud regions and the other areas. To improve the contrast, we propose a preprocessing step of normalizing the input color image where each pixel is treated as a vector. The normalized vector is then projected on the Blue channel. The results obtained by using the modifled scene are shown in the paper. An e‐cient real-time algorithm is being developed so that the algorithm may be used with video sequences. The incorporation of the technique in the UAV simulator tool that is being developed by the co-authors is currently being pursued. I. Introduction Safety is a major concern for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) that operate in civil airspace. The UAS are expected to ∞y autonomously avoiding obstacles and ∞ying through challenging atmospheric conditions. It is desirable that the UAS be equipped with means to maintain operation in visual meteorological conditions while having regard for the safety of other vehicles. One of the major problems with UAS is the detection and avoidance of clouds and other visual obstructions. In this paper, we propose a system for automated detection of cloud edges using image processing. The solution is based on using geometric partial difierential
Diagnosing malabsorption with systemic lipid profiling: pharmacokinetics of pentadecanoic acid and triheptadecanoic acid following oral administration in healthy subjects and subjects with cystic fibrosis.

Objective: A Malabsorption Blood Test (MBT) is proposed as an alternative method to the 72-hour stool and dietary collection for assessing the degree of fat malabsorption in people with pancreatic insufficiency. The MBT consists of a simultaneous oral dose of pentadecanoic acid (PA), a free fatty acid, and triheptadecanoic acid (THA), a triglyceride with three heptadecanoic (HA) saturated fatty acids requiring hydrolysis by pancreatic lipase before HA can be intestinally absorbed. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the ability of MBT to detect fat malabsorption in healthy adult subjects using the pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitor Orlistat (Xenical®), and in subjects with CF and PI while on and off routine pancreatic enzyme doses. Materials and methods: The MBT with the PA and THA were delivered in a breakfast test meal (2.5 g PA and either 5 g or 8 g THA) to healthy adult subjects (ages 18 – 50 years, BMI 21 – 30) and to subjects with CF (> 12 years, FEV1% predicted > 40%), after a 12-hour fast and 24 hours without dairy foods. Serum levels of PA and HA were assessed by gas-liquid chromatography, from blood samples drawn prior to MBT and then hourly for 8 hours. For healthy subjects, the MBT was administered before and after Orlistat treatment, and in subjects with CF, both with subjects receiving routine pancreatic lipase treatment (“on enzyme”) and also “off enzyme” treatment. Treatment groups were compared for baseline (C0) and maximum (Cmax) plasma concentrations of PA and HA over 8 hours: area under the curve (AUC) was calculated using linear trapezoid method. The ratio of HA to PA Cmax and AUC was also calculated and compared. Results: For the healthy subjects (n = 15, 60% female, ages 21 – 49 years), absorption of HA was reduced 71% for Cmax (p < 0.001) and 65% for AUC (p = 0.001) after Orlistat treatment, and absorption of PA was unchanged. For subjects with CF (n = 6, 50% female, ages 13 – 19 years), absorption of HA was minimal with subjects “off enzymes” and increased significantly with subjects “on enzymes” while absorption of PA did not differ between groups. Enzyme administration resulted in increased Cmax HA/PA ratios from 0.02 to 0.92 and from 0.05 to 0.73 in subjects with CF receiving 5.0 g and 8.0 g of THA, respectively. AUC HA/PA ratios showed similar increases. Conclusions: In this pilot and feasibility proof-of-concept study, the MBT, utilizing the relative absorption of HA to PA, two odd-chained fatty acids, responds to changes in fat absorption in healthy subjects using a lipase inhibitor and in subjects with CF while on or off enzyme therapy. The MBT holds promise to provide a more accurate, specific and acceptable alternative to the 72-hour stool collection to quantify pancreatic-based fat malabsorption in a variety of clinical and research contexts.
Deep transmission of Laguerre-Gaussian vortex beams through turbid scattering media.

Light scattering and transmission of Gaussian (G) and Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) vortex beams with different orbital angular momentum (L) in various turbid media were investigated. Transmittance was measured with varied ratios of sample thickness (z) to scattering mean free path (ls) of turbid media, z/ls. In the ballistic region, the LG and G beams were found to have no significant difference on transmittance, while in the diffusive region, the LG beams showed a higher received signal than the G beams, and the LG beams with higher L values showed a higher received signal than those with lower L values. The transition points from ballistic to diffusive regions for different scattering media were determined. This newly observed transmittance difference of LG and G beams may be used for deep target detection in turbid media through LG beam imaging.
ProXL (Protein Cross-Linking Database): A Platform for Analysis, Visualization, and Sharing of Protein Cross-Linking Mass Spectrometry Data.

ProXL is a Web application and accompanying database designed for sharing, visualizing, and analyzing bottom-up protein cross-linking mass spectrometry data with an emphasis on structural analysis and quality control. ProXL is designed to be independent of any particular software pipeline. The import process is simplified by the use of the ProXL XML data format, which shields developers of data importers from the relative complexity of the relational database schema. The database and Web interfaces function equally well for any software pipeline and allow data from disparate pipelines to be merged and contrasted. ProXL includes robust public and private data sharing capabilities, including a project-based interface designed to ensure security and facilitate collaboration among multiple researchers. ProXL provides multiple interactive and highly dynamic data visualizations that facilitate structural-based analysis of the observed cross-links as well as quality control. ProXL is open-source, well-documented...
Photography's Second Front: Kodak's Serving Human Progress Through Photography Institutional Advertising Campaign

This paper examines Kodak's ‘Serving Human Progress through Photography’ campaign, which ran in the United States during World War I and World War II and emphasized themes of US nationalism and progress through technology. While Kodak's peacetime consumer advertisements were ultimately designed to sell photographic goods and products, this institutional advertising campaign sought to build brand recognition, consumer loyalty, and a positive corporate image by humanizing the private corporation and portraying it as a public servant. Therefore, these advertisements sought to legitimize not only Kodak, but the idea of the corporation as an indispensible public institution, allied with the US government in times of war and crisis. War, though presenting some important challenges to Kodak, proved an opportune time to harness the expertise of the advertising industry to cement long-term relationships with the American public and to secure the most valuable outcome of all, loyalty to the idea of a corporatized p...
Interactions between Cholecystokinin and Dopamine: Electrophysiological Studies

Cholecystokinin (CCK), a peptide hormone found originally in the pancreas and gastrointestinal tract, has now been demonstrated to exist in high concentration in various areas of the central nervous system (CNS). The predominant form of CCK in the brain is the sulfated carboxy-terminal octapeptide (CCK-8S); only negligible amounts of the unsulfated form (CCK-8US) have been detected. Ample evidence suggests that CCK-8S may function as a neurotransmitter or modulator in the CNS (for review, see Vanderhaeghen and Crawley, 1985).
Abstract 3649: Combination of mesothelin-targeted immune-activating fusion protein and anti-PD-L1 augments antitumor immunity and prolongs survival in murine model of ovarian cancer

Background and Purpose: Although immunotherapy as an adjuvant to surgery and chemotherapy has been investigated in ovarian cancer (OC) as a means of reducing tumor recurrence and improving survival, there remains a significant unmet need for combinatorial strategies to enhance the antitumor immune response. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel combination immunotherapy for OC, utilizing our novel fusion protein to target and generate a cellular immune response to mesothelin (MSLN) in conjunction with blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint to restore the function of cytotoxic T cells in order to enhance cancer control and prolong survival. Experimental Procedures: Luciferase-expressing ID8 cells were employed to establish an intraperitoneal ovarian tumor model in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice. The efficacies of the MSLN-targeted immune-activating fusion protein (VIC-008), αPD-L1, and the combination were evaluated. Mice received 4 intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatments of VIC-008 from day 7 post tumor inoculation weekly, and 6 treatments of αPD-L1 i.p. every other day from 4 weeks post inoculation. Tumor growth was monitored by in vivo imaging of luciferase activity. Survival time was calculated as life span from the day of tumor inoculation. In immunological studies, mice were sacrificed 7 weeks after tumor cell inoculation. Immune cells from lymph nodes, ascites and tumors were stained with antibodies against multiple immune cell markers and profiled by flow cytometry. Results: VIC-008, αPD-L1 or combination treatment delayed tumor growth. The combination treatment resulted in the greatest prolongation in survival, followed by αPD-L1 treatment and then VIC-008 treatment. Improved survival was associated with increased levels of intratumoral CD3+CD8+ T cells (P Conclusion: Our results suggest that, through activating dendritic cells and enhancing antigen presentation and cross-presentation, VIC-008 augments antitumor CD8+ T cell responses and facilitates generation of memory T cells when combined with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, providing long-term antitumor effects. Our findings demonstrate for the first time a mechanistic rationale for combining VIC-008 and αPD-L1 in treatment of OC in mice, positioning this combination therapy as a potential promising new immunotherapeutic approach for OC. Citation Format: Yang Zeng, Binghao Li, Qiuyan Liu, Patrick Reeves, Ann Sluder, Jeffrey Gelfand, Timothy Brauns, Mark Poznansky, Huabiao Chen. Combination of mesothelin-targeted immune-activating fusion protein and anti-PD-L1 augments antitumor immunity and prolongs survival in murine model of ovarian cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3649. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3649
Abstract 125: Genetic Deletion Of Telomerase Promotes Premature Cardiac Aging

Telomeropathies are a group of human diseases characterized by mutations in the telomerase gene, accelerated telomere attrition, and premature organ aging. Manifestations of telomere disease include bone marrow failure, liver cirrhosis, and lung fibrosis. It remains, however, to be documented whether loss of telomerase activity is coupled with alterations in cardiac structure and function. To address this issue, the heart of mice carrying a deletion of the RNA component of telomerase (Terc -/- mice) was studied at 3-13 months of age. This allowed us to define whether defects in telomerase function in cardiac stem cells (CSCs) and their progeny promote ventricular dysfunction independently from chronological age, which is typically associated with significant telomere erosion. For this purpose, the characteristics of the aging cardiomyopathy were defined first in 30-month-old wild-type mice (WT). Deteriorations in systolic and diastolic indices of myocardial contractility were detected in senescent mice by echo-Doppler, MRI, and invasive hemodynamics. Importantly, 6-month-old Terc -/- mice showed severe ventricular dysfunction comparable to that seen in 30 month-old WT. Telomere length in Terc -/- mouse CSCs was ~50% shorter than in age-matched WT cells but was comparable to that found in 30 month-old WT cells. The number of CSCs was 60% lower in Terc -/- than age-matched WT mice, and the fraction of BrdU-positive CSCs decreased 1.4-fold, from 25% to 14%. The absence of Terc led to a 50% reduction in myocyte turnover, which was coupled with myocyte hypertrophy and myocyte loss. BrdU labeling was reduced 60% in Terc -/- myocytes. Old CSCs formed a senescent progeny composed of cardiomyocytes, which carried markedly shortened telomeres and showed a severe depression in cell shortening and re-lengthening. Moreover, the renewal of endothelial cells was 75% lower in Terc -/- mice mimicking the rarefaction in capillary typically seen in the old myocardium. Our findings document that loss of telomerase activity is a critical determinant of cardiac aging with reduced cardiomyogenesis and vasculogenesis. These maladaptive responses may be operative in patients carrying mutations of telomerase.
Mechanisms of Transcriptional Activation in Eukaryotes

Eukaryotic cells respond to growth, developmental and environmental cues in large part by regulating the expression of specific sets of genes. Befitting the wide range of these signals and the proper gene regulatory response, mechanisms of transcriptional activation in eukaryotes are impressively diverse. These mechanisms are built on the modular design of cis-acting DNA regulatory sequences and of trans-acting regulatory proteins, coupled with flexibility and diversity in the protein:protein interactions linking activators to chromatin-modifying enzymes and general transcription factors. This review summarizes and illustrates these principles of modular design and combinatorial logic underlying transcriptional activation in eukaryotes.
Fast and Accurate Detection of Complex Imaging Genetics Associations Based on Greedy Projected Distance Correlation

Recent advances in imaging genetics produce large amounts of data including functional MRI images, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and cognitive assessments. Understanding the complex interactions among these heterogeneous and complementary data has the potential to help with diagnosis and prevention of mental disorders. However, limited efforts have been made due to the high dimensionality, group structure, and mixed type of these data. In this paper, we present a novel method to detect conditional associations between imaging genetics data. We use projected distance correlation to build a conditional dependency graph among high-dimensional mixed data, and then use multiple testing to detect significant group level associations (e.g., regions of interest-gene). In addition, we introduce a scalable algorithm based on orthogonal greedy algorithm, yielding the greedy projected distance correlation (G-PDC). This can reduce the computational cost, which is critical for analyzing large volume of imaging genomics data. The results from our simulations demonstrate a higher degree of accuracy with G-PDC than distance correlation, Pearson’s correlation, and partial correlation, especially when the correlation is nonlinear. Finally, we apply our method to the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental data cohort with 866 samples including fMRI images and SNP profiles. The results uncover several statistically significant and biologically interesting interactions, which are further validated with many existing studies. The MATLAB code is available at https://sites.google.com/site/jianfang86/gPDC .
Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 at CuAu nanoparticles: size and alloy effects

Reduction of CO2 at Cu or Au electrodes typically yields methane or CO, respectively. Cu and Au nanoparticles and their alloys offer unique advantages over foil electrodes in terms of reduced overpotentials and product selectivities. In this work, we explore the electrochemical reduction of CO2 in aqueous electrolytes using alloys of Cu and Au including 2 and 6 nm nanoparticles along with polycrystalline foils. These results show the CuAu alloys primarily produce CO; however, yields are dramatically increased relative to Au. CuAu electrodes in the form of planar foils produce up to 3.4 times more CO yields relative to Au foil. Most remarkably, nanoparticle electrodes provide up to 12.5-fold CO yield increases relative to polycrystalline alloy foils and 175-fold CO yield increases relative to bulk Au foils. Voltammetry shows that onset potentials for CO2 reduction are shifted anodically with smaller nanoparticle sizes and with greater Au content. The dramatic increase in CO yields with nanoparticle alloys is attributed to the improved CO2 deoxygenation associated with Cu interfaces and the relatively facile desorption of CO from low-coordination Au sites.
The Stereotactic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Underwater Blood Aspiration (SCUBA) technique for minimally invasive endoscopic intracerebral hemorrhage evacuation.

Background Endoscopic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) evacuation techniques have gained interest as a potential therapeutic option. However, the instrumentation and techniques employed are still being refined to optimize hemostasis and evacuation efficiency. Objective We describe the application of a specific endoscopic technique in the treatment of ICH called the Stereotactic Intracerebral Hemorrhage Underwater Blood Aspiration (SCUBA) technique. It differs from previously described minimally invasive ICH interventions in that it combines two separate neuroendoscopic strategies in two phases, the first under dry-field conditions and the second using a wet-field strategy. Methods All patients who underwent endoscopic ICH evacuation with the SCUBA technique from December 2015 to September 2017 were included. Results The SCUBA technique was performed in 47 patients. The average evacuation percentage was 88.2% (SD 20.8). Active bleeding identified to derive from a specific source was observed in 23 (48.9%) cases. Active bleeding was addressed with irrigation alone in five cases (10.6%) and required electrocautery in 18 cases (38.3%). Intraoperative bleeding occurred in 3 patients (6.4%) and postoperative bleeding occurred in a single case (2.1%). Conclusions The SCUBA technique provides surgeons with a defined strategy for true endoscopic hematoma evacuation. In particular, the fluid-filled cavity in SCUBA Phase 2 has the potential to provide several advantages over the traditional air-filled strategy, including clear identification and cauterization of bleeding vessels and visualization of residual clot burden. Further investigation is necessary to compare this technique to others that are currently used.
The Management of Serious Adverse Events Associated with Interventional Procedures

Dialysis access management procedures are increasingly performed by interventional nephrologists working in freestanding clinics. As with any type of procedure, these cases may be associated with adverse events. These events can be classified as mechanical complications that are procedure related, complications associated with sedation/analgesia, and idiosyncratic or hypersensitivity reactions associated with the administration of radiocontrast and other drugs. It is important that the interventionalist managing dialysis access problems be in a position to deal with these adverse occurrences. This means being knowledgeable in complication recognition and management and having the proper equipment and supplies readily at hand to do what needs to be done. It is also important that policies be in place within these freestanding clinics to avoid these situations to the degree that avoidance is possible by identifying situations where there is a significant risk that the complication might occur. The goal of this chapter is to discuss these issues.
A Binaural Model that Analyses Acoustic Spaces and Stereophonic Reproduction Systems by Utilizing Head Rotations

It is well known that head rotations are instrumental in resolving front/back confusions in human sound localization. A mechanism for a binaural model is proposed here to extend current cross-correlation models to compensate for head rotations. The algorithm tracks sound sources in the head-related coordinate system, HRCS, as well as in the room-related coordinate system, RRCS. It is also aware of the current head position within the room. The sounds are positioned in space using an HRTF catalog at \(1^{\circ }\) azimuthal resolution. The position of the sound source is determined through the interaural cross-correlation, ICC, functions across several auditory bands that are mapped to functions of azimuth and superposed. The maxima of the cross-correlation functions determine the position of the sound source. Unfortunately, two peaks usually occur, one at or near the correct location and the second at the front/back reversed position. When the model is programmed to virtually turn its head, the degree-based cross-correlation functions are shifted with the current head angle to match the RRCS. During this procedure, the ICC peak for the correct hemisphere will prevail if integrated over time for the duration of the head rotation, whereas the front/back reversed peak will average out.
Knowledge management for occupational safety, health, and ergonomics: Research Articles

The critical challenge for occupational safety, health, and ergonomics (OSHE) in contemporary industry is management of the existing individual (personal) knowledge, structural knowledge (i.e., knowledge codified into manuals, reports, databases, and data warehouses), and organizational knowledge (activity of learning within the organization) in the vast domain of practical applications. Therefore, the principles and tools of knowledge management (KM) should be used to facilitate the management of OSHE. The authors discuss the requirements for effective knowledge management, review the existing models of KM and their structures, and introduce a model for KM in OSHE. The proposed model of KM for OSHE is based on a strategy that establishes knowledge as the central resource to achieve the goals of OSHE management. The model includes the systems of organizational knowledge, organizational learning (knowledge creation, distribution, elaboration, and consolidation), development of knowledge workers, KM processes (review, conceptualization, reflection, and acting), and relevant information-technologies. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 309–319, 2006.
Biliary Cholesterol Supersaturation, Metastability and Micronucleation

The phase diagram approach to defining solute relations in solutions at equilibrium was originally conceived more than a century ago by Josiah Willard Gibbs, the great American physical chemist of the late 19th century (1). Small and co-workers in a series of papers published a decade or more ago (2–4) observed that applying such a plotting system to lipid solute containing analogs for native human bile could provide, for the first time, a means for defining in thermodynamic terms the maximum solubility limit of cholesterol in bile. Based on such a definition, it was concluded that a clear separation of normal from abnormal (choles­terol gallstone-associated) human biles was possible because the latter were supersaturated, whereas normals were not. Subsequent studies (5–7) failed to confirm the precision of the claimed sep­aration of normal from abnormal (cholesterol gallstone-associated) biles. In addition, results of studies using chenodeoxycholic acid therapy for patients with cholesterol gallstone disease demon­strated discrepancies in the saturation index definition of bile from untreated patients compared with post-treatment observations (8). The combination of these findings therefore necessitated a reassessment of this initial cholesterol saturation limit definition. An important outcome of this work (9) resulted in observations indicating the need for a significant reduction in the phase diagram boundary limit for maximum cholesterol solubility. This was based primarily on the recognized need in these later studies to take into account the factor of time-dependent equilibration. According to the revised view, the still somewhat puzzling observation that biliary cholesterol supersaturation, as defined by the new criteria, occurred frequently in healthy man also became apparent; whereas such was not the case in a variety of large mammals. Further studies have documented that cholesterol supersaturation is likely to be enhanced in the presence of physiologic factors such as obesity (10, 11) or the effects of estrogen (12, 13). Such enhance­ment has also been well documented as resulting from pathophysio­logic processes such as ileal disease or resection, wherein a broken enterohepatic circulation creates a deficiency of bile salts, important solubilizers for cholesterol in bile.
Accountability via Chart Audits

A proposal for non-disciplinary physician accountability by means of electronic medical record audits. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Recursive Filtering Techniques Applied to Digital Subtraction Angiography

The most successful application of digital radiography to date has been digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Its main clinical use has been in the evaluation of head, neck, and abdominal arteries. Mask-mode image subtraction has been the most widespread DSA technique.(1–5) For non-cardiac studies, this technique uses X-ray exposures made approximately once per second for a total of 15 to 20 exposures spanning the duration of the arrival and washout of the contrast material bolus. Typically, exposure times are in the range of 20 to 200 msec, depending on anatomy. Of the resultant images, two are subtracted from each other to form the final difference image, one taken from among those containing little or no contrast, and another taken at or near peak opacification. Because the two images are acquired at different times, the process is called temporal subtraction.
Palladium-catalyzed annulations, ternary couplings, and migration chemistry

A palladium(O) catalyst has been employed to affect the heteroannulation of o-aminoand o-hydroxyaryl iodides onto cyclic and bicyclic alkenes, which prevent ^-hydride elimination in the key organopalladium intermediate. The best yields for the heteroannulation of o-aminoaryl iodides onto alkenes to form indoline derivatives are obtained by using 5 mol % of Pd(OAc)2,1 equiv of n-Bu4NCl, 2 equivs of NaOAc, 1 equiv of dimethylglycine (DMG), 1 equiv of the o-aminoaryl iodide, and 2 equivs of the alkene in ethylene glycol at 100 °C for 1 day. The best results for the heteroannulation of alkenes by o-hydroxyaryl iodides to form 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans are obtained by employing 5 mol % of Pd(OAc):, 15 mol % of n-Bu4NCl, 1 equiv of Na2C03,1 equiv of the o-hydroxyaryl iodide, and 2 equivs of the alkene in MN-dimethylformamide (DMF) at 100 °C for 1 day. The reaction appears to involve (1) oxidative addition of the carbon-iodide bond of the aryl iodide to the palladium catalyst, (2) arylpalladation of the olefin carbon-carbon double bond,
Current Status of Cultural Competence Advocacy in Clinical, School, and Counseling Psychology

The current status of cultural competence advocacy is described within the context of the separate subdisciplines of clinical, school, and counseling psychology. Within each subdiscipline, a brief history of each profession is summarized, followed by a description of the main professional organizations and scholarly outlets that characterize each subdiscipline, a summary of basic roles and functions of practitioners within each subdiscipline, racial/ethnic demographics within each subdiscipline, exposure to racial/ethnic subgroups in practice, and qualitative differences in the nature of cultural competence advocacy within each subdiscipline.
Rules Rule: How Different Rules Lead to Different Tax Policies

Economists have addressed the effect of taxes on a polity, with several economists then using their findings to justify the implementation of various tax schemes. These theories are loosely based on the ideas of fiscal philosophers from the end of the 19th century, with recent work demonstrating the efficiency gains of optimal taxation theory. These fiscal philosophers, however, almost universally neglect to discuss the implementation of their proposed policies, implicitly believing that politicians will do what is good once they are aware of what is good. Differences in policies among democracies (or differences in the timing of the passage of similar policies), therefore, becomes an explanation of differences in the median voter, which is no different from making a preference-based argument. While plausible, this type of explanation is analytically unsatisfactory. I argue that differing legislative outcomes (of kind or timing) are the result of a difference between the rules the governing body is bound by when proposing and passing legislation. In doing so, this paper pushes back on the preference-based explanation that is prevalent in recent work on comparative public policy and argues instead that the rules of the game matter.
Ambulatory Surgery Center Medical Director: Visionary Leader

The ambulatory surgery center medical director is a physician leader who recognizes the need to develop a culture that encourages communication and empowerment of employees and professional staff, leading to engagement that optimize care through patient selection, safety and satisfaction requires vision and guidance from the medical director and is central to success of the ASC. Innovative thinking further improves patient care and long-term success by leveraging advances in technology and sustainable practices.
389) Pediatric Impression of Change following Interdisciplinary Treatment

This study assessed the utility of the Multidimensional Patient Impression of Change (MPIC) questionnaire in a pediatric pain population following interdisciplinary treatment. The MPIC assesses impression of change for seven clinical domains (Pain, Sleep, Mood, Physical Functioning, Coping with Pain, Managing Flare-up pain, Medication Efficacy) in addition to Overall Status. A heterogeneous group of pediatric chronic pain patients (N = 202) participated in an interdisciplinary treatment program. Treatment programs included individual psychological counseling, relaxation training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and physician management. Patients completed measures assessing pain, mood, development, social and physical functioning, and family functioning both prior to and at completion of their treatment programs. The MPIC was administered to the patients post-treatment. The majority of patients perceived themselves to be improved (Minimally to Very Much) in all clinical domains of the MPIC. The proportion of patients endorsing improvement ranged from 60% (Medication Efficacy) to 96% (Coping with Pain). There were statistically significant pre- to post-treatment improvements on all outcome measures (P's
The flywheel: the Affordable Care Act is picking up momentum.

Elections always have consequences. The midterm elections in the US were not solely a referendum on the xenophobic, misogynistic, and hateful rhetoric of President Trump and the inability of his flimflam appointees to dismantle most of the progressive reforms of the Obama administration. The election results, somewhat surprisingly, were also driven by the increasing value Americans are putting on the Affordable Care Act (still, unfortunately, referred to as Obamacare) and the reliance that 20 million Americans have developed on it for securing affordable insurance. The cry of ‘Repeal Obamacare’ has changed over time to ‘Fix Obamacare’ and the door has been opened to serious discussion about methods to achieve universal coverage, advocated in the US since before the First World War but defeated repeatedly. The two relatively easy-to-understand government-funded or subsidised insurance programmes — Medicaid for individuals on low incomes and families, and Medicare for everyone over the age of 65 years, are being used by Democrats as examples of how expansion of either or both of those programmes might move the country towards the goal of universal coverage. For the first time, a majority (56%) of Americans want the government to ensure healthcare coverage.1 And no one is pounding the table decrying ‘socialised medicine’! During the most divisive, …
A smartphone based device for the detection of sulfane sulfurs in biological systems

Sulfane sulfur species are newly recognized signaling molecules that play physiological roles in many biological events. The development of new technologies for the detection of sulfane sulfurs is important. Point-of-care (POC) devices are in-field rapid and low-cost detectors that are more convenient to use than bulky and expensive standard instruments. In this report, a new fluorescent probe (SSP5) was designed to detect sulfane sulfurs using a POC sulfane sulfur smartphone spectrum apparatus (S4A). This probe proved to be sensitive and selective for sulfane sulfur species over other biologically relevant sulfur species such as cysteine and H2S. The low-cost and compact S4A has achieved comparable performance to standard laboratory equipment in both a standard buffer system and a synthetic urine system. The proposed system (SSP5 + S4A) has the potential for high accuracy and rapid detection of sulfane sulfur species in remote and low resource settings.
A note on taking account of the automatic death penalty jurors

The California Supreme Court'sHovey opinion identified a separate group of “automatic death penalty” (ADP) persons whose exclusion had been overlooked in previous studies of death qualification. Using data unavailable at the timeHovey was decided, this brief article estimates the effect of excluding this group on the attitudinal skewing and conviction-proneness of death-qualified jurors. It concludes that the impact of excluding the ADPs is negligible.
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography: Enhancing Risk Stratification and Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease in Women

There are numerous gender- and sex-based differences that contribute to the increased morbidity and mortality related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in women. Early detection of risk and targeted management of atherosclerotic disease is fundamental to reduce ASCVD risk and improve outcomes in women. In this review, we examine the utility of cardiac computed tomography (CT) and coronary CT angiography (CTA) in three ASCVD scenarios including coronary artery calcium scoring for risk stratification in asymptomatic women, and coronary CTA for diagnosis and prognosis of stable ischemic heart disease and acute chest pain. The risks of radiation exposure and the potential applications of novel technologies in women are explored. CTA provides the capabilities of early recognition and management of nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent advancements in plaque composition and morphology further enhance the prognostic yield from coronary CTA. Innovations in stress perfusion and computational fluid dynamics allow for evaluation of physiological measures of ischemia. In addition, developments in artificial intelligence (AI) may also help unlock a deeper understanding of atherosclerosis and risk in women. Coronary CTA is an accurate and useful modality for early detection and management of ASCVD in women. Novel technologies hold great promise for furthering our understanding of sex-specific pathophysiology and potential improvement in clinical management and outcomes.
Connections to neighborhood storytellers and community-oriented emotional disclosure on Twitter during an emergency event:

From a communication infrastructure theory perspective, this study examined local residents’ connections to neighborhood storytellers and its association with community-oriented emotional disclosur...
Improved tools to study astrocytes

Astrocytes are a type of glial cell that tile the CNS. They interact with multiple cell types, including neurons, glial cells and blood vessels, and are involved or implicated in brain disorders. Progress has been made in understanding astrocytes, but the field lacks detailed information concerning how they perform their multifarious functions, and how and when they influence the operations of the neural circuits with which they interact. One recognized bottleneck to progress has been the paucity of reliable tools with which to explore astrocytes within the adult vertebrate CNS in vivo. However, improved tools for molecular, genetic, morphological and physiological assessments have been developed recently or have been adapted from their original purposes to study neurons and are now being used to systematically document and interrogate astrocyte biology in vivo. These tools, their uses and limitations, and the insights that they afford are summarized in this Review. Much progress has been made in understanding astrocytes, but details on their functions and interactions remain difficult to determine. Yu, Nagai and Khakh give an overview of recent advances in the toolbox for molecular, genetic, morphological and physiological investigations into astrocytes.
Method Optimization: Analysis of Benzbromarone and Tolfenamic Acid in Citrus Tissues and Soil Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Triple-Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

Herein, an analytical method was developed for extraction and quantification of benzbromarone and tolfenamic acid in citrus and soil matrices using liquid-liquid extraction followed by liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The compounds were extracted using 0.1% formic acid in 6:4 ethyl acetate and n-hexane solution, and the analytes were separated using a mixture of 0.1% formic acid in ultrapure water and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile as mobile phase. A six-point in-matrix calibration curve was constructed providing good linearity with coefficients of determination R2 ≥ 0.98. The limits of detection and quantification for benzbromarone and tolfenamic acid were 3.0 and 10.0 μg/kg in roots, peel, juice, and soil, and 4.0 and 12.0 μg/kg for leaves samples, respectively. The method yielded excellent recoveries between 81.3 and 101.2%, with relative standard deviation ≤9.5% in the matrices. The developed technique provides a simple and sensitive method for the determination of the chemicals and can be applied to agricultural practices.
Learning from Experience: Applying ML to Analog Circuit Design

The problem of analog design automation has vexed several generations of researchers in electronic design automation. At its core, the difficulty of the problem is related to the fact that machinegenerated designs have been unable to match the quality of the human designer. The human designer typically recognizes blocks from a netlist and draws upon her/his experience to translate these blocks into a circuit that is laid out in silicon. The ability to annotate blocks in a schematic or netlist-level description of a circuit is key to this entire process, but it is a process fraught with complexity due to the large number of variants of each circuit type. For example, the number of topologies of operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) easily numbers in the hundreds. A designer manages this complexity by dividing this large set of variants into classes (e.g., OTAs may be telescopic, folded cascode, etc.). Even so, the number of minor variations within each class is large. Early approaches to analog design automation attempted to use rule-based methods to capture these variations, but this database of rules required tender care: each new variant might require a new rule. As machine learning (ML) based alternatives have become more viable, alternative forms of solving this problem have begun to be explored. Our effort is part of the ALIGN (Analog Layout, Intelligently Generated from Netlists) project [2, 3], which is developing opensource software for analog/mixed-signal circuit layout [1]. Our specific goal is to translate a netlist into a physical layout, with 24-hour turnaround and no human in the loop. The ALIGN flow inputs a netlist whose topology and transistor sizes have already been chosen, a set of performance specifications, and a process design kit (PDK) that defines the process technology. The output of ALIGN is a layout in GDSII format.
Schlucken und Schluckstörungen

In der Intensivmedizin stellen Schluckstorungen ein auserordentlich haufiges und prognostisch bedeutsames Symptom dar. Die Dysphagie des Intensivpatienten ist ein atiologisch heterogenes Storungsbild. Die vielfaltigen Ursachen lassen sich in drei Kategorien differenzieren. So konnen die mit der Intensivtherapie assoziierten (neurologischen) Hauptdiagnose, spezifische (neurologische) Komorbiditaten und die konkreten Folgen der Intensivtherapie selbst hauptursachlich fur die Beeintrachtigung des Schluckakts sein. Als diagnostische Verfahren stehen klinische Tests und instrumentelle Verfahren, insbesondere die FEES, zur Verfugung. Das Dysphagiemanagement auf der Intensivstation erfolgt interdisziplinar. Pflegekrafte, Therapeuten und Arzte arbeiten hier eng zusammen, um fur jeden Patienten die richtige Balance zwischen Aspirationspravention auf der einen und zugigem oralem Kostaufbau auf der anderen Seite zu finden.
The Ethical Issues Behind Expanding the Right to Try Preapproval Drugs and Medical Devices

This paper looks at the ethical issues behind the right to try movement, which supports giving terminal patients access to drugs that have yet to be approved fully by the FDA. Even as momentum builds and more states pass right-to-try legislation, the discussion to this point has mostly addressed the political aspects of the debate to the exclusion of the ethical aspects. In this paper, I examine the ethics of the right to try, focusing on the contrast between (1) the individuals right of freedom regarding his or her body and health (and the states responsibility to support this) and (2) the states duty to protect its citizens from unwarranted harm from dangerous substances and procedures. Based on the ethical analysis, the paper makes several proposals for reform and also considers the equity issues invoked by alternative methods of financing the use of unapproved drugs and devices.