cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microsecond spin-flip times in n − GaAs measured by time-resolved polarization of photoluminescence

We have observed microsecond spin-flip times in lightly doped $n\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{GaAs},$ by measuring the photoluminescence polarization in the time domain with pump and probe pulses. Times up to 1.4 \ensuremath{\mu}s have been measured. Our results as a function of magnetic field indicate three regions governing the spin relaxation: a low field region, where spin-flip times increase due to suppression of the nuclear hyperfine interaction for localized electrons, a medium field region where spin-flip times increase due to narrowing of the hyperfine relaxation for interacting electrons, and a high field region where spin-flip times begin to level off due to the increasing importance of spin-orbit relaxation mechanisms.
Psychological aspects of the rejection of recycled water: Contamination, purification and disgust.

There is a worldwide and increasing shortage of potable fresh water. Modern water reclamation technologies can alleviate much of the problem by converting wastewater directly into drinking water, but there is public resistance to these approaches that has its basis largely in psychology. A psychological problem is encapsulated in the saying of those opposing recycled water: “toilet to tap.” We report the results of two surveys, one on a sample of over 2,000 Americans from five metropolitan areas and the second on a smaller sample of American undergraduates, both assessing attitudes to water and water purification. Approximately 13% of our adult American sample definitely refuses to try recycled water, while 49% are willing to try it, with 38% uncertain. Both disgust and contamination sensitivity predict resistance to consumption of recycled water. For a minority of individuals, no overt treatment of wastewater will make it acceptable for drinking (“spiritual contagion”), even if the resultant water is purer than drinking or bottled water. Tap water is reliably rated as significantly more desirable than wastewater that has undergone substantially greater purification than occurs with normal tap water. Framing and contagion are two basic psychological processes that influence recycled water rejection.
Signal Distortion by Directional Broadcast Antennas

Directional broadcast antenna systems are inherently capable of producing signal distortion. One type of distortion, described by Doherty, involves the frequency sensitivity of the antenna input impedance and relationships between this impedance and the transmitter and transmission lines. A second type of distortion results from the directional radiation characteristics of the array, and is caused by differences in the response conditions of a directional array for the carrier and each sideband frequency.
Fast Characterization of Threshold Voltage Fluctuation in MOS Devices

Random microscopic fluctuations in the number and location of dopant atoms can cause a large variation in the threshold voltage (VT) of a MOS device. In this paper, we present a technique for fast characterization of random threshold voltage mismatch in MOS devices. Our VT scatter characterization method measures threshold voltage shift by monitoring the change in gate-to-source voltage VGS for a fixed drain current IDS and drain-to-source voltage VDS . We present circuit schematics to characterize VT scatter by measuring VGS variation for a large set of devices arranged in an individually addressable array. We report experimental results of VT scatter measurement from test chips fabricated in 65-nm silicon-on-insulator and 65-nm bulk CMOS processes. We also measure and report the magnitude of local device current mismatch caused by VT fluctuation.
Can Fully Accounting for Clouds in Data Assimilation Improve Short-Term Forecasts by Global Models?

Abstract This paper explores the degree to which short-term forecasts with global models might be improved if clouds were fully included in a data assimilation system, so that observations of clouds affected all parts of the model state and cloud variables were adjusted during assimilation. The question is examined using a single ensemble data assimilation system coupled to two present-generation climate models with different treatments of clouds. “Perfect-model” experiments using synthetic observations, taken from a free run of the model used in subsequent assimilations, are used to circumvent complications associated with systematic model errors and observational challenges; these provide a rough upper bound on the utility of cloud observations with these models. A series of experiments is performed in which direct observations of the model’s cloud variables are added to the suite of observations being assimilated. In both models, observations of clouds reduce the 6-h forecast error, with much greater r...
William Campbell Dickison: A Biographical Tribute and Bibliography

Abstract William Campbell Dickison, professor of biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and internationally noted plant anatomist and morphologist, died on 22 November 1999. This tribute chronicles his life journey and elucidates his accomplishments in and contributions to botany. William Campbell Dickison (Fig. 1) was a plant anatomist and morphologist of international distinction. His life journey took him to the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi, region, to Des Plaines and Macomb, Illinois, to the Bloomington campus of Indiana University, to the deserts of Arizona, to the mountains of Virginia, and finally to the North Carolina college town of Chapel Hill. He was influenced by experiences in each of these settings. This biographical tribute greatly expands on insights of BilI's life and accomplishments given by Gensel (2000), Wheeler (2000), White (2000), and Burk (2001). Even though William C. Dickison was weakened by his long battle against bonemarrow cancer, he was reading final page ...
Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon, Adiposity, Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) γ Methylation in Offspring, Grand-Offspring Mice

Rationale: Greater levels of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) have been associated with childhood obesity in epidemiological studies. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Objectives: We hypothesized that prenatal PAH over-exposure during gestation would lead to weight gain and increased fat mass in offspring and grand-offspring mice. Further, we hypothesized that altered adipose gene expression and DNA methylation in genes important to adipocyte differentiation would be affected. Materials and Methods: Pregnant dams were exposed to a nebulized PAH mixture versus negative control aerosol 5 days a week, for 3 weeks. Body weight was recorded from postnatal day (PND) 21 through PND60. Body composition, adipose cell size, gene expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) c, CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBP) a, cyclooxygenase (Cox)-2, fatty acid synthase (FAS) and adiponectin, and DNA methylation of PPAR c, were assayed in both the offspring and grand-offspring adipose tissue. Findings: Offspring of dams exposed to greater PAH during gestation had increased weight, fat mass, as well as higher gene expression of PPAR c, C/EBP a, Cox2, FAS and adiponectin and lower DNA methylation of PPAR c. Similar differences in phenotype and DNA methylation extended through the grand-offspring mice. Conclusions: Greater prenatal PAH exposure was associated with increased weight, fat mass, adipose gene expression and epigenetic changes in progeny.
What is the role of hemodialysis for dabigatran-associated major bleeding?

Abstract A 70-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation who is being anticoagulated with dabigatran etexilate presents to the emergency room with melena. He reports taking his most recent dose of dabigatran more than 2 hours ago. On examination, he is hypotensive and tachycardic, and he continues to have melanotic stools. Laboratory testing reveals a calculated creatinine clearance of 15 mL/min, a prothrombin time of 16.5 seconds (reference range: 11.8-15.2 seconds), an international normalized ratio of 1.2 (reference range: 0.9-1.2), and an activated partial thromboplastin time of 50 seconds (reference range: 22.2-33.0 seconds). You are asked by the emergency medicine physician whether hemodialysis should be considered to decrease the patient's plasma dabigatran level.
Assertion of Standards-Essential Patents by Non-Practicing Entities

An extensive literature exists regarding the patent disclosure and licensing commitments made by participants in standard-setting organizations (SSOs), and the assertion of patents by non-practicing entities (NPEs). This study is the first to assess the degree to which NPEs have asserted standards-essential patents (SEPs), and the characteristics of these assertions. We present descriptive statistics regarding NPE and Producer assertions of SEPs pertaining to seven broadly-adopted standards in the telecommunications and networking sectors over a 16.5-year period. Twenty-six NPEs were identified as asserting SEPs pertaining to the standards studied. NPEs initiated 64% of all SEP cases and 77% of all unique patent-defendant assertion events involving these SEPs. NPEs initiated 82% of all defendant-assertion events relating to the five standards subject to FRAND licensing commitments, but only 25% of such events relating to the two standards subject to royalty-free (RF) licensing commitments. When NPEs asserted SEPs from FRAND-based SSOs, the large majority of these assertions (73%) were of unencumbered SEPs. Producers, however, generally asserted FRAND-encumbered SEPs. In the case of SEPs from RF SSOs, NPEs asserted only unencumbered SEPs, while Producers asserted both encumbered and unencumbered SEPs. And while NPE SEP assertions were resolved by settlement at approximately the same rate as Producer SEP assertions, Producer plaintiffs were almost five times as likely to prevail on the merits as NPE plaintiffs.We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for current debates regarding FRAND licensing and SSO policy limitations, particularly proposals to impose SSO-based licensing encumbrances on SEPs held by NPEs. We also observe that, while NPEs are responsible for a large number of assertions of unencumbered SEPs, the greater threat of hold-up and rent extraction, at least under U.S. law, appears to arise from assertions of unencumbered SEPs by Producers.
Commentary: Legacy of the Commission on Research Integrity

20 years ago, the Report of the Commission on Research Integrity (also known as the Ryan Commission after its chair) was submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and to House and Senate Committees. As directed in enabling legislation, the Commission had provided recommendations on a new definition of research misconduct, oversight of scientific practices, and development of a regulation to protect whistleblowers. Reflecting the ethos of the time, the Commission recommended that institutions receiving Public Health Service research funding should provide oversight of all but the most egregious misconduct. The suggested definition of research misconduct was organized around misappropriation, interference and misrepresentation, which would have addressed collaborative/authorship disputes and sabotage in scientific laboratories, both of which remain unaddressed in current policy. The Commission also recommended the Whistleblower Bill of Rights and Responsibilities which would have authorized remedies for whistleblowers who experienced retaliation and sanctions against retaliators. Response from the scientific community was highly critical, and none of the Commission's recommendations was accepted. No new body has examined issues within the Commission's charge, there has been no significant Congressional or public pressure to do so, institutions have not been able to sustain standards that would have avoided current concerns about bias and irreproducibility in research, and there is still no entity in science capable of addressing issues assigned to the Commission and other urgent issues.
GONORRHOEAL ARTHRITIS: A PROPOSED PLAN OF SULFANILAMIDE THERAPY

In gonorrhoeal arthritis, sulfanilamide promises to be the most efficacious form of therapy, but in another paper 7 we have shown that intravenous mercurochrome also may be of great value. A group of fifty patients, treated with sulfanilamide on the Hospital wards and in the Out-Patient Department, have been analyzed, and 82 per cent. have been found to be cured or markedly improved. The best results have been obtained in the acute cases and in those instances where the blood sulfanilamide has reached at least eight milligrams per 100 cubic centimeters. A practical plan for routine treatment of all cases has been proposed, including minor forms of supplementary therapy which will be especially valuable in the small number of cases in which the response to chemotherapy alone is unavoidably poor.
Identification of Puffer Species by PCR-RFLP Analysis and Chip Bio-analysis System

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) analysis and chip bio-analysis system were used to identify five puffer species.A 464-bp fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene was amplified by PCR and the products were digested with the restriction endonuclease DdeⅠ,Hae Ⅲ and Nla Ⅲ,respectively.The resulting fragments were further resolved on DNA chip.Five puffer species were successfully identified by this method.In conclusion,PCR-RFLP and chip bio-analysis system could provide a fast,easy,automatic and reliable analysis approach.
Unraveling the Role of Alkyl F on CH−π Interactions and Uncovering the Tipping Point for Fluorophobicity

Although fluorine often plays an influential role in molecular recognition, little is known about the effect of aliphatic fluorine on the CH−π interaction in solution. A series of molecular balances were synthesized that contain fluorinated and nonfluorinated alkyl groups. Our findings indicate that fluorine’s polarizing ability does enhance CH−π binding and depends on molecular orientation. Surprisingly, when the terminal end of the alkyl group is completely fluorinated, the balance tips toward fluorophobicity and assumes an unusual constrained conformation.
Incidence of Exceptionality among Hispanics: Implications for Manpower Planning.

This paper has three purposes: 1) to bring to the attention of the reader information concerning the incidence of handicapping conditions among Hispanics as found in one state in the Southwest. Texas has a large Hispanic population and a long history of extensive service delivery to the handicapped, and therefore, provides an appropriate setting for such a focus on handicapping conditions among Hispanics. 2) to provide a specific example of the application of a manpower planning model of general interest to educators; and 3) to bring to the attention of the reader the significant manpower needs associated with serving exceptional Hispanics.
TriCurin, a novel formulation of curcumin, epicatechin gallate, and resveratrol, inhibits the tumorigenicity of human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

// Longzhu Piao 1, 2 , Sumit Mukherjee 3, 4 , Qing Chang 4, 5 , Xiujie Xie 1, 2 , Hong Li 6 , Mario R. Castellanos 7 , Probal Banerjee 3, 4 , Hassan Iqbal 1, 2 , Ryan Ivancic 1, 2 , Xueqian Wang 1, 2 , Theodoros N. Teknos 1, 2 and Quintin Pan 1, 2 1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA 2 Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA 3 Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, USA 4 Department of Chemistry and Center for Developmental Neuroscience, College of Staten Island, Staten Island, New York, USA 5 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health, Staten Island, New York, USA 6 Division of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA 7 Division of Research, Department of Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health, Staten Island, New York, USA Correspondence to: Quintin Pan, email: Quintin.Pan@osumc.edu Keywords: human papillomavirus, p53, head and neck cancer, curcumin, catechin Received: December 22, 2015 Accepted: May 13, 2016 Published: July 16, 2016 ABSTRACT Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide with about 600,000 new cases diagnosed in the last year. The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive HNSCC) has rapidly increased over the past 30 years prompting the suggestion that an epidemic may be on the horizon. Therefore, there is a clinical need to develop alternate therapeutic strategies to manage the growing number of HPV-positive HNSCC patients. TriCurin is a composition of three food-derived polyphenols in unique stoichiometric proportions consisting of curcumin from the spice turmeric, resveratrol from red grapes, and epicatechin gallate from green tea. Cell viability, clonogenic survival, and tumorsphere formation were inhibited and significant apoptosis was induced by TriCurin in UMSCC47 and UPCI:SCC090 HPV-positive HNSCC cells. Moreover, TriCurin decreased HPV16E6 and HPV16E7 and increased p53 levels. In a pre-clinical animal model of HPV-positive HNSCC, intra-tumoral injection of TriCurin significantly inhibited tumor growth by 85.5% compared to vehicle group ( P < 0.05, n = 7). Our results demonstrate that TriCurin is a potent anti-tumor agent for HPV-positive HNSCC. Further development of TriCurin as a novel anti-cancer therapeutic to manage the HPV-positive HNSCC population is warranted.
Research as Art: New Directions for Dance Educators (1985)

This chapter documents the lack of research in dance education in 1985, when it was originally delivered at a conference of Dance and the Child: International (daCi). While acknowledging that some of the dearth of publication in dance education might be credited to lack of a journal dedicated to dance education, the author suggests that the low interest in research among dance educators might be partially due to the incompatibility of traditional research models with the most significant questions in the field. Beginning with a careful discussion of traditional empirical research methodology, the author describes its limitations in terms of research into the nature and meaning of children’s dance. At the same time, she cites a number of theorists who find commonalities between the quest of the scientist and that of the artist, recognizing that both face the task of making meaning out of a multitude of forms and experiences which may at first seem unrelated. Proposing some alternative ways of thinking about research which may prove more fruitful for the dance educator, the author briefly presents several different approaches to research regarding the nature and meaning of children’s dance, specifically phenomenological research, hermeneutics, autobiography, ethnography, and criticism.
An approximate dynamic programming approach to decentralized control of stochastic systems

We consider the problem of computing decentralized control policies for stochastic systems with finite state and action spaces. Synthesis of optimal decentralized policies for such problems is known to be NP-hard [1]. Here we focus on methods for efficiently computing meaningful suboptimal decentralized control policies. The algorithms we present here are based on approximation of optimal Q-functions. We show that the performance loss associated with choosing decentralized policies with respect to an approximate Q-function is related to the approximation error.
IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATORS FOR THE PREVENTION OF MORTALITY IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ISCHEMIC CARDIOMYOPATHY: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS

Background: While ICD therapy improves survival in heart failure patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, its usefulness in those with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) is less well established. We sought to determine whether ICD therapy reduces all-cause mortality in patients with NICM using updated
Georgian stem formants and nominalization

The Georgian verb system is complex, and in many cases the function and meaning of certain morphemes is not entirely clear. One such morpheme, the stem formant, appears in both non-perfect verbs and nominal structures. Although they are usually associated with aspect in the verb, I propose that there are several advantages to treating stem formants as nominal heads bearing the feature [+collective]. If stem formants are nominalizers, then several facts about their distribution can be explained, including their historical origin, their presence in abstract and verbal nouns, and their absence from verbs which assign ergative case to their subjects. Doing so also makes it possible to bring Georgian split ergativity closer in line with other analyses of ergative splits in Basque (Laka, 2006) and Chol (Coon, 2013)
Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Exercise in Nonmotor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease.

Abstract The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy in nonmotor symptoms (NMS) for Parkinson disease (PD) is growing worldwide. Well-performed, systematic evidence-based research is largely lacking in this area and many studies include various forms of CAM with small patient numbers and a lack of standardization of the approaches studied. Taichi, Qigong, dance, yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, and other CAM therapies are reviewed and there is some evidence for the following: Taichi in sleep and PDQ39; dance in cognition, apathy, and a mild trend to improved fatigue; yoga in PDQ39; and acupuncture in depression, PDQ39, and sleep. Exercise including occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) has been studied in motor symptoms of PD and balance but only with small studies with a mounting evidence base for use of exercise in NMS of PD including PDQ39, sleep, fatigue, depression, and some subsets of cognition. Studies of OT and PT largely show some benefit to depression, apathy, and anxiety. Sustainability of an improvement has not been shown given short duration of follow up. Finding optimal control groups and blind for these interventions is also an issue. This is a very important area of study since patients want to be self-empowered and they want guidance on which form of exercise is the best. Additionally, evidence for PT and OT in NMS would give added weight to get these interventions covered through medical insurance.
Paranasal Sinuses and Nose: Normal Anatomy and Pathologic Processes

The development of the paranasal sinuses has been well described [1]. The maxillary sinuses are the first of the paranasal sinuses to develop; development begins in the first trimester of gestation and usually is completed by. adolescence. The ethmoid air cells arise from numerous evaginations from the nasal cavity, beginning with the anterior air cells, and progressing to the posterior air cells. The ethmoid air cells begin to develop between the end of the first trimester and the mid-second trimester of gestation, and reach final adult proportions during puberty. The sphenoid sinus is present by the second trimester, and is fully developed in early adolescence. The frontal sinuses are the only sinuses consistently absent at birth. Their development is variable: it begins during the first few years of life and completes in adolescence.
Modern method of treatment of compression fracture of the spine with stabilization with a metal corrector

A clinical example of the treatment of a pediatric patient with a compression fracture in the lumbar spine. The child was operated on the L1 compression fracture, a course of conservative treatment with postoperative immobilization in a soft corset.
A case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

We report a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection that failed to improve with methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG); who responded with plasmapheresis. A 21- year- old female with an unremarkable medical history, initially presented to an outside hospital with fever and an influenza-like illness and was subsequently intubated for worsening sensorium. Brain magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of ADEM or vasculitis for which she received five days of pulse steroids and IVIG. She showed no signs of improvement and was transferred to our hospital for plasmapheresis. Her work up revealed an elevated IgM antibody and positive sputum for Mycoplasma pneumonia by polymerase chain reaction, suggesting the pathogen as the culprit for her ADEM. Intravenous azithromycin and daily plasmapheresis were initiated for seven consecutive days. Following commencement of her treatment, the patient experienced good recovery and was subsequently extubated. She continued to improve with physical therapy and gained mobility, with the help of a walker. Patients commonly present with ADEM following viral infection or vaccination and less frequently post bacterial infection. The current treatment of ADEM due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae is based on limited case reports. Our patient poorly responded to pulse steroids and IVIG, while she markedly improved on azithromycin and plasmapheresis. In patients presenting with encephalopathic signs and neurological manifestations following pneumonia; Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and subsequent immune-mediated demyelination should be considered.
Monster Carlo: An MCTS-based Framework for Machine Playtesting Unity Games

We describe a Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) powered tool for assessing the impact of various design choices for in-development games built on the Unity platform. MCTS shows promise for playing many games, but the games must be engineered to offer a compatible interface. To circumvent this obstacle, we developed a support library for augmenting Unity games, and Python templates for running machine playtesting experiments. We also propose ways for designers to use this tool to ask and answer designs questions. To illustrate this, we integrated the library with It’s Alive!, a game in development by the authors, and 2D Roguelike, an open source game from the Unity asset store. We demonstrate the tool’s ability to answer both game design and player modeling questions; and provide the results of system validation experiments.
Production of Full-Length Human Monoclonal Antibodies using Transgenic Mice

Rabies is preventable when post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with vaccine and rabies immune globulin (RIG) is given in a timely fashion after exposure. However, there is still a significant amount of rabies mortality in endemic areas due to the unavailability and high cost of RIG. Neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (HuMAbs) could be used for PEP affordably in these areas. The methods described here to isolate antibodies from transgenic mice with human antibody genes have identified a broadly neutralizing rabies HuMAb that is being tested clinically.
A NOVEL CALMODULIN DERIVATIVE: STUDIES WITH CARDIAC SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines chemical crosslinking studies of the interaction of calmodulin (CaM) with its receptors. Klevit and Vanaman developed techniques for specifically derivatizing Tyr 99 in calcium-binding site III or Tyr 138 in site IV (1), both in the C-domain of mammalian CaM. Benzophenone-labeled CaM, which was radio-iodinated at its sole tyrosine (125I-Bz-CaM), and native wheat germ CaM were found to be very similar to bovine CaM in their abilities to stimulate two mammalian enzyme systems—the Ca-ATPase of red blood cell membrane and the CaM-dependent kinase of cardiac Sarcoplasmic Reticulum (SR). The major product of the affinity labeling is a complex with a molecular mass of 40,000 daltons, which has been shown to be composed of CaM and phospholamban. Benzophenone-maleimide probe spans a distance of about 10 A from the sulfhydryl group of CaM to the photoactivatable carbonyl carbon of benzophenone, suggesting that Cys 27 is within 10 A of a binding site on phospholamban. Thus, this derivative will be a useful tool for CaM structure-function studies and studies defining CaM interactions with its receptors.
Circadian Rhythm Adaptation to Simulated Night Shift Work: Effect of Nocturnal Bright-Light Duration

We compared bright-light durations of 6, 3 and 0 hours (i.e. dim light) during simulated night shifts for phase shifting the circadian rectal temperature rhythm to align with a 12-hour shift of the sleep schedule. After 10 baseline days there were 8 consecutive night-work, day-sleep days, with 8-hour sleep (dark) periods. The bright light (about 5,000 lux, around the baseline temperature minimum) was used during all 8 night shifts, and dim light was 3 hours are probably not necessary in similar shift-work situations. Larger temperature rhythm phase shifts were associated with better subjective daytime sleep, less subjective fatigue and better overall mood.
A situation where hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be more common in women than men: Clinical and genetic patterns of non risk-factored HCC.

e15614Background: Men are classically diagnosed with HCC three times more frequently than women. The gender difference persists after adjusting for confounding risk factors of viral hepatitis and a...
DE-RNN: Forecasting the Probability Density Function of Nonlinear Time Series

Model-free identification of a nonlinear dynamical system from the noisy observations is of current interest due to its direct relevance to many applications in Industry 4.0. Making a prediction of such noisy time series constitutes a problem of learning the nonlinear time evolution of a probability distribution. Capability of most of the conventional time series models is limited when the underlying dynamics is nonlinear, multi-scale or when there is no prior knowledge at all on the system dynamics. We propose DE-RNN (Density Estimation Recurrent Neural Network) to learn the probability density function (PDF) of a stochastic process with an underlying nonlinear dynamics and compute the time evolution of the PDF for a probabilistic forecast. A Recurrent Neural Network (RNN)-based model is employed to learn a nonlinear operator for the temporal evolution of the stochastic process. We use a softmax layer for a numerical discretization of a smooth PDF, which transforms a function approximation problem to a classification task. A regularized cross-entropy method is introduced to impose a smoothness condition on the estimated probability distribution. A Monte Carlo procedure to compute the temporal evolution of the distribution for a multiple-step forecast is presented. It is shown that the proposed algorithm can learn the nonlinear multi-scale dynamics from the noisy observations and provides an effective tool to forecast time evolution of the underlying probability distribution. Evaluation of the algorithm on three synthetic and two real data sets shows advantage over the compared baselines, and a potential value to a wide range of problems in physics and engineering.
One-dimensional drift-flux correlations for two-phase flow in medium-size channels

The drift-flux parameters such as distribution parameter and drift velocity are critical parameters in the one-dimensional two-fluid model used in nuclear thermal-hydraulic system analysis codes. These parameters affect the drag force acting on the gas phase. The accurate prediction of the drift-flux parameters is indispensable to the accurate prediction of the void fraction. Because of this, the current paper conducted a state-of-the-art review on one-dimensional drift-flux correlations for various flow channel geometries and flow orientations. The essential conclusions were: (1) a channel geometry affected the distribution parameter, (2) a boundary condition (adiabatic or diabatic) affected the distribution parameter in a bubbly flow, (3) the drift velocity for a horizontal channel could be approximated to be zero, and (4) the distribution parameter developed for a circular channel was not a good approximation to calculate the distribution parameter for a sub-channel of the rod bundle. In addition to the above, the review covered a newly proposed concept of the two-group drift-flux model to provide the constitutive equation to close the modified gas mixture momentum equation of the two-fluid model mathematically. The review was also extended to the existing drift-flux correlations applicable to a full range of void fraction (Chexel-Lellouche correlation and Bhagwat-Ghajar correlation).
Molecular Biology for Urologists

The last several decades have seen an explosion of science and technology across all walks of life, and medicine is no exception. Improvements in engineering, optics, laser technology, pharmacology, and molecular biology have radically changed how we take care of patients on a daily basis. The development of the “Targeted Therapies” for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is just an one example of how discoveries in the basic biology of a disease have contributed to the development of novel therapeutics, thus markedly altering the standard of care for this disease. The field of urology has traditionally been at the forefront of these discoveries, as evidenced by the Nobel Prize winning work of Huggins and Hodges during the last century. As we move through the twenty-first century, a fundamental understanding of molecular biology will be increasingly important to understand the basis for the therapies we prescribe. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the practicing urologist to the basics of molecular biology and its relevance to our field.
Opioid Deaths and Local Healthcare Intensity: A Longitudinal Analysis of the U.S. Population, 2003–2014

Introduction This study examines the association between local healthcare intensity and drug death rates. Methods County-level drug death rates were computed for 2003–2014 using vital statistics data adjusted for incomplete reporting of drug involvement. A county-level healthcare intensity index was constructed using Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care data. Linear regression and dose–response models were estimated for all residents and for population subgroups to analyze the relationship between healthcare intensity and drug death rates, as well as for 7 indicators of healthcare quality. Data collection and analysis were conducted in 2018 and 2019. Results Linear estimates indicated a positive correlation between healthcare intensity and opioid-involved drug death rates. Dose–response models revealed that the association was especially pronounced for the 2 highest healthcare intensity quintiles. Moving from the lowest to the highest healthcare intensity quintile was associated with a 2.14 (95% CI=1.56, 2.72) per 100,000 rise in opioid-involved drug death rates and a 25.1% (95% CI=18.3%, 31.9%) increase from the base rate of 8.54 per 100,000. Corresponding associations were larger in absolute terms for individuals who were male, white, aged 20–44 years, and not college educated than for their counterparts, but similar in percentages, except for 2 minority racial groups and seniors. Non-opioid drug death rates were unrelated to healthcare intensity. High healthcare intensity was associated with worse healthcare quality for 6 of 7 indicators. Conclusions In the U.S., between 2003 and 2014, high medical care intensity was associated with elevated opioid death rates and lower healthcare quality.
Second-chance Testing Course Policies and Student Behavior

In this research category full paper, we present our findings on the effects of different course policies for seconxd-chance testing on students’ studying and exam taking behavior. Second-chance testing, where students are allowed to take a second instance of an exam for some form of grade replacement, is a less expensive approximation of mastery-based learning that can be easily integrated into a broad range of college course structures. It encourages students to review course material after poor performance on an examination but limits the amount of resources instructors must invest in the creation of examinations or in grading them. There exists, however, a large space of potential course policies for integrating second-chance testing into a course and little prior research on how these policies affect student behavior.This paper analyzes three different grading policies in use at Midwestern University. All of the policies attempt to encourage students to prepare adequately for the first-chance exam and review the material again before the second-chance exam, if they elect to take it. The first policy used a partial grade replacement policy with insurance: students’ grades could only improve by taking the second-chance exam but the first-chance exam always counts for at least one-third of a students’ grade on the examination. The second policy is identical, but required students to complete a zero-credit, online-homework assignment before being allowed to take the second-chance exam. The third policy implemented full grade replacement (even if the second score is lower) and capped the score that could be achieved on the second exam. By comparing these different course policies, we show that grading policies have a significant effect on whether students take second-chance exams.We also performed a quasi-experimental study, adding second-chance exams to a course. We present data from students’ exam performance and from the course’s learning management system that suggest that adding a second-chance exam had no effect on student performance or study habits for the first-chance exam. However, the total amount of time that students studied did increase substantially as students who took the second-chance exam studied an additional 60% of their original effort.
Impact of the 2016 ASE/EACVI Guidelines on diastolic function reporting in routine clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of 2016 ASE/EACVI guidelines on Diastolic Function (DF) reporting during routine clinical practice. METHODS Transthoracic echos performed 9 months before and 18 months after the 2016 guidelines (DF2016) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS Twenty thousand eight hundred forty three echos performed between July 1, 2015, and September 30, 2017, were analyzed. Quarterly trends showed a stable proportion of normal DF (nDF), diastolic dysfunction (DD), indeterminate DF (DF-I), and nonreported DF (DF-NR) for 3 quarters preceding DF2016. After DF2016 release, reporting of DD decreased by 57% (P < .001), nDF increased by 76% (P < .001), DF-NR increased by 266% (P < .001), and DF-I did not change significantly (P = .40). Grade 1 DD decreased by 64% (P < .001), grade 2 DD decreased by 51% (P < .001), and grade 3 DD did not change significantly (P = .18). Provider level analysis showed increased heterogeneity in grade 1 DD reporting and decreased heterogeneity in DD grades 2 or higher, after DF2016. Systolic dysfunction reporting remained relatively stable (22%→21%→20%) compared to a significant decrease in isolated DD (35%→21%→10%). CONCLUSION The 2016 guidelines update has impacted DF reporting patterns significantly. The likelihood of reporting DD decreased significantly, especially for grades 1 and 2. Inter-provider heterogeneity in DF reporting improved for grades 2 and 3 but worsened for grade 1. There was more than threefold increase in failure to report DF, suggesting a decrease in provider confidence.
Use of amplicon-based sequencing for testing fetal identity and monogenic traits with single circulating trophoblast (SCT) prenatal diagnosis

A major challenge for cell-based non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is to distinguish individual presumptive fetal cells from maternal cells in female pregnancies. We have sought a rapid, robust, versatile, and low-cost next-generation sequencing method to facilitate this process. Toward this goal, single isolated cells underwent whole genome amplification prior to genotyping. Multiple highly polymorphic genomic regions (including HLA-A and HLA-B) with 10-20 very informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within a 200 bp interval were amplified with a modified method based on other publications. To enhance the power of cell identification, approximately 40 Human Identification SNP (Applied Biosystems) test amplicons were also utilized. This method allowed reliable differentiation of fetal and maternal cells. In fully informative cases, two haplotypes were found within the maternal reads, and fetal cells showed reads with one but not the second maternal haplotype while also showing a novel paternal haplotype absent in the mother. For SNP typing, at least 2 SNPs and 10% of informative SNPs were required to differentiate a fetal cell from a maternal cell. A paternal DNA sample is not required using this method. The assay also successfully detected point mutations causing Tay Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, and hemoglobinopathies in single lymphoblastoid cells, and monogenic disease-causing mutations in three cell-based NIPT cases. This method could be applicable for any monogenic diagnosis.
Anxious About Social Violence: The Emotional Underpinnings of Support for Gun Control

Objective We theorize that anxiety (fear) related to mass shootings and social violence increases support for gun control among the American public. Methods We support our theory with a regression discontinuity analysis based on an actual mass shooting, observational analyses from the same data set testing the relationship between fear and support for gun control, and two survey experiments that prime anxiety in the context of mass shootings and social violence. Findings We show that support for gun control increased on the day after an actual mass shooting. Observational analysis shows a positive correlation between fear of crime and support for gun control. One priming experiment shows that inducing anxiety about mass shootings increases support for gun control. A second priming experiment shows that exposure to a story about social violence activates anxiety and also increases support for gun control. Conclusions Our analyses show that anxiety related to mass shootings and mass violence increases support for gun control.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Biopsy Needles Provide Higher Diagnostic Yield Compared to Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Needles When Sampling Solid Pancreatic Lesions: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Studies comparing the utility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) for solid pancreatic lesions have been inconclusive with no clear superiority. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the diagnostic accuracy and safety between the two sampling techniques. METHODS We performed a systematic search of randomized controlled trials published between 2012 and 2019. The primary outcome was overall diagnostic accuracy. Secondary outcomes included adverse event rates, cytopathologic and histopathologic accuracy, and the mean number of passes required to obtain adequate tissue between FNA and FNB needles. Fixed and random effect models with pooled estimates of target outcomes were developed. RESULTS Eleven studies involving 1,365 participants were included for analysis. When compared to FNB, FNA had a significant reduction in diagnostic accuracy (81% and 87%, p=0.005). In addition, FNA provided reduced cytopathologic accuracy (82% and 89%, p=0.04) and an increased number of mean passes required compared to FNB (2.3 and 1.6, respectively, p<0.0001). There was no difference in adverse event rate between FNA and FNB needles (1.8% and 2.3% respectively, p=0.64). CONCLUSION FNB provides superior diagnostic accuracy without compromising safety when compared to FNA. FNB should be readily considered by endosonographers when evaluating solid pancreatic masses.
Addressing cigarette smoking cessation treatment challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic with social media

This commentary reviews barriers to smoking cessation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential of social media-based smoking cessation programs. Several published randomized controlled trials are summarized and future directions for designing and evaluating social media-based smoking cessation programs are described.
Dijkstra’s Algorithm: An Analysis

It has been over 60 years since Edsger Dijkstra conceived an algorithm to find the shortest path in a graph with non-negative values. Despite the fact that the size of networks is increasing and becoming more complex, the traditional Dijkstra’s algorithm is still prevalent and popular amongst these modern mapping and navigation systems. The objective of this report is to study the functioning of Dijkstra’s algorithm to understand how it maintains efficiency and accuracy in determining the shortest path despite the complex architecture of the modern day network. Furthermore, the report discusses the shortcoming of this algorithm, if any, and how it impacts the viability of the algorithm in today’s context.
Coevolutionary transitions emerging from flexible molecular recognition and eco-evolutionary feedback.

Summary Highly mutable viruses evolve to evade host immunity that exerts selective pressure and adapts to viral dynamics. Here, we provide a framework for identifying key determinants of the mode and fate of viral-immune coevolution by linking molecular recognition and eco-evolutionary dynamics. We find that conservation level and initial diversity of antigen jointly determine the timing and efficacy of narrow and broad antibody responses, which in turn control the transition between viral persistence, clearance, and rebound. In particular, clearance of structurally complex antigens relies on antibody evolution in a larger antigenic space than where selection directly acts; viral rebound manifests binding-mediated feedback between ecology and rapid evolution. Finally, immune compartmentalization can slow viral escape but also delay clearance. This work suggests that flexible molecular binding allows a plastic phenotype that exploits potentiating neutral variations outside direct contact, opening new and shorter paths toward highly adaptable states.
Chlorpromazine and ethanol combination. Effects on respiration, random motor activity and conditioned avoidance-escape in mice.

THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF CHLORPROMAZINE AND ETHANOL ON (1) RESPIRATORY RATE, AS INDICATIVE OF GENERAL DEPRESSION OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, (2) MOTOR ACTIVITY, AS A MEASURE OF NEUROMUSCULAR COORDINATION, AND (3) BLOCKADE OF A CONDITIONED AVOIDANCE-ESCAPE RESPONSE AS A MONITOR OF EXISTING ANXIETY LEVELS WERE EXAMINED USING MICE. THE STUDY IS RELEVANT TO THE QUESTION OF POSSIBLE DANGEROUS SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS WHEN MORE THAN MINIMAL AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE DRUNK BY PERSONS UNDER TREATMENT WITH TRANQUILIZERS. THE RESULTS CLEARLY SHOW A SYNERGISTIC ACTION OF CHLORPROMAZINE AND ETHANOL IN BOTH RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION AND BLOCKAGE OF A CONDITIONED AVOIDANCE-ESCAPE RESPONSE. /HSL/
The Significance of HMGB1, a Late-Acting Pro-inflammatory Cytokine

HMGB1 is a novel late mediator of inflammatory responses that contributes to ALI and lethal sepsis. It appears to interact with at least three receptors, including RAGE, TLR2, and TLR4, potentially explaining the similarities in cellular activation induced by HMGB1 and bacterial products, such as LPS or peptidoglycan. However, the multiple receptors involved in HMGB1 signaling also provide insights into the differences in gene expression produced by cellular interaction with this mediator. Unlike the situation with classically described pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α or IL-1β, where blockade is only effective in improving outcome from experimental sepsis if administered before or very early in the course of sepsis, inhibition of HMGB1 with specific antibodies or the HMGB1 A box sequence still reduces mortality even if performed up to 24 hours after the initiation of the septic insult. Such findings suggest that HMGB1 may be an appropriate therapeutic target in patients with sepsis or ALI, since it may participate in the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction and mortality even at later time points when such patients present for hospital or ICU admission.