cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or β-Blockers in Heart Failure Does It Matter Who Goes First?

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and β-blockers are potent therapies in heart failure. They lower total mortality and heart failure hospitalizations by 25% to 40% across all ages, functional capacities, degrees of left ventricular dysfunction, and causes.1,2 But does it matter which intervention is given first? There are 2 primary reasons why clinicians initiate heart failure therapy with ACE inhibitors for patients with systolic dysfunction: (1) ACE inhibitors were the first agents to demonstrate a mortality benefit in heart failure and therefore have since served as background therapy for all heart failure trials, and (2) heart failure is a hemodynamic as well as a neurohormonal condition that acutely improves with vasodilation.3 In acutely decompensated patients, initial hemodynamic stabilization through vasodilation improves the neurohormonal profile, including a reduction in norepinephrine levels.4 This stabilization may allow the subsequent introduction of β-blockers, which are acutely associated with a decline in ventricular function.5,6 Article p 2426 However, when a patient has compensated heart failure, would a β-blocker first be tolerated, safe, and even better? There are putative reasons why β-blockers first may lead to greater survival and improved quality of life. The adrenergic system is activated earlier than the renin-angiotensin system (RAS)7 and is an important stimulus for RAS activation. Norepinephrine is a potent predictor of mortality.8 Enhanced sympathetic renal activity may contribute to sodium and water avidity.9 Evidence suggests that there is less “escape” and greater suppression of angiotensin II by ACE inhibitors when the adrenergic system is also blocked.10 Cardiorenal complications of heart failure may be avoided because rises in serum creatinine with ACE inhibitors may be decreased by pretreatment with a β-blocker.11 β-Blockers may have a greater impact on ventricular remodeling than ACE inhibitors.12 In contrast to ACE inhibitors,2 β-blockers also …
Enhancement of adult muscle regeneration by primary myoblast transplantation.

Extensor digitorum longus muscles (EDL) of SCID mice were induced to undergo degeneration–regeneration subsequent to orthotopic, whole-muscle transplantation. Two days after transplantation some of...
Regulatory Requirements for Breast Specimens

Several aspects of breast pathology are affected by either regulatory requirements or recommendations and standards, to which the laboratory must comply in order to maintain accreditation as a licensed laboratory or an accredited breast program. For the rest of this chapter, these requirements or recommendations are lumped together as standards, which need to be documented in either laboratory files or patient reports. From the point of view of workflow, these standards affect preanalytic and analytic variables.
Neurologic disease due to HTLV-1 infection.

Abstract Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) was the first human retrovirus discovered when it was linked to an unusual T-cell lymphoma in 1980. It was later linked to a number of other diseases, particularly neurologic ones. These include encephalomyelitis, myelopathy, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like disease, and uveitis. This chapter will provide an overview of the virus discovery, the epidemiology of HTLV-1 infection, basic virology, and basic aspects of the immunologic response to the infection. It will briefly discuss features of adult T-cell leukemia and aspects of its pathogenesis. The primary focus of the chapter is the neurologic diseases associated with HTLV-1. It will discuss clinical features, diagnosis, imaging, laboratory features, electroencephalogram and evoked potential studies, attempted treatment strategies, and prevention measures. In addition many aspects of pathogenesis are discussed.
850-nm oxide VCSEL development at Hewlett-Packard

Oxide confined VCSELs are being developed at Hewlett-Packard for the next-generation low cost fiber optics communication applications. Compared to the existing 850 nm implant confined VCSELs, the oxide VCSELs have lower operating voltages, higher slope efficiencies, and better modal bandwidth characteristics. Preliminary data on epitaxy and oxidation control uniformity, device performance, and reliability will be discussed.
Dental Surface Texture Characterization Based on Erosive Tooth Wear Processes

The differential diagnosis of dental wear lesions affects their clinical management. We hypothesized that surface texture parameters can differentiate simulated erosion, abrasion, and erosion-abrasion lesions on human enamel and dentin. This in vitro study comprised 2 parts (both factorial 4 × 2), with 4 lesion types (erosion, abrasion, erosion-abrasion, and sound [no lesion; control]) and 2 substrates (enamel and dentin). Flattened/polished dental specimens were used in part 1, whereas natural dental surfaces were used in part 2. Testing surfaces were evaluated in blind conditions, using average surface roughness (Sa) and the following scale-sensitive fractal analysis parameters: area-scale fractal complexity (Asfc), exact proportion length-scale anisotropy of relief (eplsar), scale of maximum complexity (Smc), and textural fill volume (Tfv). Two-way analyses of variance, followed by Fisher's protected least significant difference tests (α = 0.05), were used to evaluate the effects of lesion and substrate. Classification trees were constructed to verify the strength of potential associations of the tested parameters. In part 1,Asfc, Sa, and Tfv were able to differentiate erosion and erosion-abrasion lesions from the sound (no lesion) control in both substrates; only Asfc differentiated erosion and erosion-abrasion enamel lesions (allP< 0.05). The best association of parameters correctly classified up to 84% and 94% of the lesions on enamel and dentin, respectively. In part 2, only Asfc differentiated erosion and erosion-abrasion lesions from the sound (no lesion) control in both substrates, whereas eplsar was able to differentiate erosion from erosion-abrasion (allP< 0.05). The association of parameters correctly classified up to 81% and 91% of the lesions in enamel and dentin, respectively.Asfc, Sa, and Tfv were able to differentiate erosion and erosion-abrasion lesions, despite their complicated surface textures. The association of parameters improved the differentiation of lesions for both enamel and dentin in polished or natural surfaces.
Design of a Biplane Wing for Small-Scale Aircraft

Although the biplane wing configuration has seen little use on modern airplanes over the last 70 years, there are still a few applications where the configuration is the best solution. In the 2007 AIAA/Cessna/Raytheon Design/Build/Fly competition, a shorter wingspan yielded a better final score in the competition. The Penn State team decided on a biplane wing design for its entry, the Nittany Griffin. To properly design a biplane wing, a literature survey was completed to learn about the flow conditions unique to this configuration. The airfoil selection was based on predictions generated by XFOIL, and the wing geometry was finalized using predictions of the multiple lifting line code, FREEWAKE 2007. The configuration was driven by the goal to maximize the aircraft performance during takeoff and cruise. Minimization of induced drag was of particular importance during this process. The resulting wing geometry from the analysis was not intuitive, however, when flight tested on a remote controlled aircraft, it demonstrated much improved performance over previous wing designs.
Observations on the Rate of Growth of B. Coli

1. The normal rate of growth of B. coli in peptone water at 37 C. 2. The effect of the age of the culture on the rate of growth. 3. The effect of crystal violet and brilliant green. 4. The rate of growth in various standard mediums. 5. The effect of varying amounts of bile salts. 6. The effect of varying amounts of peptone. 7. The effect of dipotassium phosphate. 8. The effect of Liebig' s beef extract.
Fungicide Spray Volume and Pruning Impact Performance of a Warning System for Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck on Apple

Abstract The sooty blotch and flyspeck (SBFS) fungal complex degrades apples by blemishing the surface, reducing the fresh market value up to 90%. In the Upper Midwest United States, growers apply ...
Stepladder Incision Technique For Lengthening of Bowel Mesentery

A tension-free bowel anastomosis is essential when bowel segments are used in reconstructive urological procedures. A safe and effective technique is described to lengthen the mesenteric vascular pedicle. Serial incisions are made in the mesenteric peritoneum horizontally, perpendicular to the vascular plane on both sides of the mesentery. This technique has provided up to 3 cm. of additional length without complication in 3 cases.
Evaluation of Catcher Mask Impacts

Abstract Concussion awareness in sports-related injuries has increased over the past decade. This has resulted in improvement in protective equipment and in our understanding of head injury. While contact sports such as ice hockey or football are of interest, concussion also occurs in non- contact sports like softball and baseball. The aim of this project was to describe facemask response to ball impacts. The study involved one face mask design and two types of foam padding. A method is presented that allows foam characterization at deformation rates and magnitudes representative of impact conditions. The foam impacts were modelled numerically and shown to agree with experiment. The facemask/foam system was placed on a Hybrid III headform and impacted with softballs to measure its response experimentally. A numeric model of the facemask/foam system on a model of the Hybrid III headform showed good agreement with experiment. Facemask impacts with a stiffer foam showed superior attenuation at high speeds (above 31 m/s) while a softer foam attenuated impacts better at low speeds.
GROUP TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY

ABSTRACT Group technology (GT) is drawing increasing interest from manufacturers because of its many applications for boosting productivity. GT is an approach to manufacturing that seeks to maximize production efficiencies by grouping similar and recurring problems or tasks. Through a careful examination of the many applications of GT, this paper shows how it saves time, avoids duplication, and facilitates easy and timely information retrieval and use. An important part of GT is the use of a code that-like a library reference system-serves as an index to characteristics in manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, resource planning, and sales to improve productivity in each of these areas. Group technology (GT) is a concept that currently is attracting a lot of attention from the manufacturing community. The essence of GT is to capitalize on similarities in recurring tasks in three ways: 1. By performing similar activities together. thereby avoiding wasteful time in changing from one unrelated activity to the next. 2. By standardizing closely related activities, thereby focusing only on distinct differences and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort. 3. By efficiently storing and retrieving information related to recurrig problems, thereby reducing the search time for the information and eliminating the need to solve the problem again.
New structural properties of supply chains with price-only contracts

Abstract We show that the manufacturer’s problem in two-stage push supply chains with price-only contracts can be reformulated as a newsvendor problem with a modified demand distribution. This reformulation provides additional managerial insights, facilitates the solution of a problem with competing retailers under more general assumptions and reduces a number of three-stage problems to equivalent two-stage problems.
Dynamic consideration of smog chamber experiments

Abstract. Recent studies of the α-pinene + ozone reaction that address particle nucleation show relatively high molar yields of highly oxidized multifunctional organic molecules with very low saturation concentrations that can form and grow new particles on their own. However, numerous smog-chamber experiments addressing secondary organic aerosol (SOA) mass yields, interpreted via equilibrium partitioning theory, suggest that the vast majority of SOA from α-pinene is semivolatile. We explore this paradox by employing a dynamic volatility basis set (VBS) model that reproduces the new-particle growth rates observed in the CLOUD experiment at CERN and then modeling SOA mass yield experiments conducted at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). We find that the base-case simulations do overpredict observed SOA mass but by much less than an equilibrium analysis would suggest; this is because delayed condensation of vapors suppresses the apparent mass yields early in the chamber experiments. We further find that a second VBS model featuring substantial oligomerization of semivolatile monomers can match the CLOUD growth rates with substantially lower SOA mass yields; this is because the lighter monomers have a higher velocity and thus a higher condensation rate for a given mass concentration. The oligomerization simulations are a closer match to the CMU experiments than the base-case simulations, though they overpredict the observations somewhat. However, we also find that if the chemical conditions in CLOUD and the CMU chamber were identical, substantial nucleation would have occurred in the CMU experiments when in fact none occurred. This suggests that the chemical mechanisms differed in the two experiments, perhaps because the high oxidation rates in the SOA formation experiments led to rapid termination of peroxy radical chemistry.
Long-term results of mitral valve repair using autologous pericardium annuloplasty.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY The use of autologous pericardium for annuloplasty during mitral valve repair is a subject of controversy; hence, the study aim was to evaluate the authors' long-term results using this technique. METHODS A retrospective review was conducted of 173 consecutive patients (mean age 59.6 +/- 16.3 years; range: 19-92 years) who underwent mitral valve repair complemented by annuloplasty between January 1998 and December 2003. The major causes of mitral regurgitation (MR) were annular dilatation and prolapse of the posterior leaflet. Annuloplasty was performed in all patients using a strip of pericardium treated with 0.6% glutaraldehyde for 10 min. Two rows of continuous horizontal mattress Gore-Tex sutures were used to secure the pericardium to the mitral annulus. Follow up continued for a mean period of 5.25 +/- 1.62 years (range: 1.97 to 9.43 years), and was complete. RESULTS Three patients (1.7%) died within 30 days of surgery. Subsequently, five patients (2.9%) with MR (with or without mitral stenosis) underwent reoperation at a mean of 3.0 +/- 2.7 years after the initial surgery. At seven years after surgery the actuarial survival rate was 92.5%, and freedom from reoperation 97.1%. Follow up echocardiography was performed in 160 patients. Among these patients, no MR was detected in 34 (21.2%), while 88 (55%) had grade 1 MR, 35 (21.8%) grade 2, and three (1.8%) had grade 3. None of the patients had grade 4 MR. CONCLUSION The study results indicated that autologous pericardium mitral annuloplasty of the mitral valve provides effective, durable and reproducible repair, and avoids the use of foreign materials.
Geometric Complexity Based Process Selection for Hybrid Manufacturing

Abstract Hybrid manufacturing (HM), which combines additive manufacturing (AM) and subtractive manufacturing (SM) operations in a single machine is gaining popularity among engineers because of its capability of leveraging the advantages of both processes. As a result, a part with complex geometries and organic designs can be manufactured with the desired surface finish with minimal setup. However, there is a need for choosing the correct manufacturing method for a given product and developing the optimum process plan. This paper presents a novel approach for decision making between the three manufacturing processes, along with an optimal part division methodology for HM. The proposed process plan minimizes geometric complexities and optimizes the manufacturing resources. A novel metric, called complexity score, has also been developed for quantifying the part's geometric complexities which includes various parameters based on Design for Manufacturing (DFM) rules. The proposed methodology will be useful for detecting potential manufacturing difficulties before the actual fabrication of a product and identifying the best manufacturing process for fabrication. Three case studies representing different manufacturing methods are presented for validating the practical application of the research.
Data Processing Teacher Certification: A Recommendation

(1978). Data Processing Teacher Certification: A Recommendation. The Journal of Data Education: Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 12-14.
Development and public release of a computerized adaptive (CAT) version of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire.

Abstract One of the most widely used measures of psychosis-related symptoms and characteristics is the 74-item Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Using multidimensional Item Response Theory (bifactor 2-parameter model), we calibrated SPQ items in a sample of 375 youths aged 9–24 years and constructed a fully functional computerized adaptive form of the SPQ on an open-source platform for public use. To assess validity, we used the above parameters to simulate CAT sessions in a separate validation sample (N = 100) using three test-length-based stopping rules: 8 items, 16 items, and 32 items. Those scores were then compared to full-form and SPQ-Brief scores on their abilities to predict psychosis or clinical risk status. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves indicated mediocre predictive ability, but did not differ among any of the forms, even when only eight adaptive items were administered. The Youden index for the 16-item adaptive version was higher than that for the 22-item SPQ-Brief. Classification accuracy for the full SPQ was 73% compared to 66% for the both the SPQ-Brief and adaptive versions (average of three stopping rules). The SPQ-CAT shows promise as a much shorter but valid assessment of schizotypy which can save time with minimal loss of information.
Population pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime after a single intramuscular injection in wild turtles.

Ceftazidime, a third-generation cephalosporin, is important for treating opportunistic bacterial infections in turtles. Antibacterial dosage regimens are not well established for wild turtles and are often extrapolated from other reptiles or mammals. This investigation used a population pharmacokinetic approach to study ceftazidime in wild turtles presented for rehabilitation. Ceftazidime was administered to 24 wild turtles presented to the Turtle Rescue Team at North Carolina State University. A sparse blood sampling protocol was used to collect samples from 0 to 120 hr with three samples per individual after injection. Plasma samples were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). A nonlinear mixed-effects model (NLME) was fitted to the data to determine typical values for population parameters. We identified a long half-life (T½) of approximately 35 hr and volume of distribution (VSS ) of 0.26 L/kg. We concluded that this long T½ will allow for a dose of 20 mg/kg injected IM to maintain concentrations above the MIC of most wild-type bacteria for 5 days. Because of long intervals between injections, stability of stored formulations was measured and showed that 90% strength was maintained for 120 hr when stored in the refrigerator and for 25 days when stored in the freezer.
Learning a part together: ensemble learning and infrastructure in a competitive high school marching band

This article reports on a learning community that requires acting together in order to perform and to learn, an organization of shared activity across people and through time that we call ensemble learning. We present a descriptive analysis of ensemble learning in a high school marching band performance season, following how “The Show” was designed by instructors, translated into coordinate “dots” for band members, then learned and “cleaned” by the ensemble. We investigate aspects of representational and social infrastructure that supported ensemble learning in activity, and how they shifted in relation to emergent goals of learners over the course of the season. The dynamic, multi-party performances under the changing spatial and social conditions that were the object of the band’s learning (marching competitions over the course of the season) leveraged diverse physical and social perspectives on learning and activity, and interactional and representational routines evolved over the course of the season. Additionally, the elective nature of the activity supported the emergence of practice-linked learning and teaching identities. We use the case study to extend similar accounts of ensemble learning and learning communities, and consider how our findings might inform design when restoring or building new ensemble learning environments.
Waking Brain States and Homeostatic Requirement

FRANKEN'S EDITORIAL COMMENT1 ON EXPLORATORY WAKING BEHAVIOR AND SUBSEQUENT SLOW WAVE ACTIVITY2 OVERLOOKS THE SCHOLARLY RECORD IN two important respects. First, he cites Borbely3 as having originated the homeostatic model of delta sleep in 1982. The record unequivocally demonstrates that the delta homeostatic model was first proposed in 1974, eight years earlier4. The Borbely group quantified the model and added a circadian factor, but the earlier model contained all the arguments for delta homeostasis subsequently adopted by Borbely (and several more). Immediately pertinent to Franken's comment and Huber et al2 is that the 1974 model proposed that the requirement (“substrate”) for delta homeostasis is determined by the intensity of waking brain activity (cerebral metabolic rate) as well as by the duration of waking. Evidence that the high delta levels of children are associated with higher (i.e. more intense) waking brain metabolic rates supports this hypothesis. A later analysis revealed that the ontogenetic curves for delta intensity, waking brain metabolism and synaptic density are parallel over the first three decades of life5, the period when all three brain measures are changing most rapidly. Moreover, Ian Campbell and I have tested the waking brain intensity – homeostatic need hypothesis by experimentally increasing the waking metabolic rate of plastic brain structures in rats6–8. This manipulation massively increased NREM delta in subsequent sleep. This is the largest experimentally-induced delta increase yet demonstrated. Thus, Franken's comment that sleep researchers have traditionally regarded waking as this “…undifferentiated state that simply fills the time between periods of sleep” (1 p126), neglects an extensive body of theory and experimental work.
Transparency, Accuracy and Fairness

Criminal justice risk assessments are often far more than academic exercises. They can serve as informational input to a range of real decisions affecting real people. The consequences of these decisions can be enormous, and they can be made in error. Stakeholders need to know about the risk assessment tools being deployed. The need to know includes transparency, accuracy, and fairness. All three raise complicated issues in part because they interact with one another. Each will be addressed in turn. There will be no technical fix and no easy answers.
Fracture incidence in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome - A population-based case-control study.

Abstract Background The differential diagnosis of non-accidental injury during childhood includes medical conditions that predispose to skeletal fragility. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) has been proposed as one such condition despite little objective evidence in the medical literature. Objective To investigate if EDS causes increased bone fragility during infancy and childhood. Participants and setting Residents of an 8-county region in southern Minnesota using the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) medical records-linkage system. Methods This retrospective, population-based, case-control study identified subjects with EDS from 1976 to 2015 who had complete records for at least their first year of life. Validity of diagnosis was ascertained using the 2017 International Classification of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes. Records were reviewed for fracture diagnoses that were characterized by age, location, type and mechanism. Results Of 219 potential cases, 21 had complete records for the first year of life and sufficient evidence in the medical record to support an EDS diagnosis. Of these 21, there were 14 hypermobile, 2 classical, 4 vascular, and 1 arthrochalasia EDS subtypes. 11 of 21 EDS cases (52.4%) and 15 of 63 controls (23.8%) had one or more fractures during childhood. No fractures were identified in the first year of life. Comparing cases to controls, EDS was associated with having any fractures during childhood with an odds ratio of 3.4 (95% CI: 1.20–9.66). Conclusions We found no evidence that infants with common forms of EDS are predisposed to more frequent fractures. Ambulatory subjects with these EDS subtypes may have a higher incidence of fractures during childhood.
From Modeling Long-Term Growth to Short-Term Fluctuations: Differential Equation Modeling Is the Language of Change

Many applied statistical problems address how the change in one variable is related to change in another variable. While the change of one variable with respect to another is the very definition of a derivative, the language of derivatives is not commonplace among social scientists. In this chapter we present derivatives as a language framework that is ideal for describing changes in variables, particularly changes with respect to time. This language can be used to understand many common models as relationships between derivatives rather than as disparate entities. Derivatives also can be used to provide statisticians and substantive researchers a common language that can be used to create better matches between models and theory. Moreover, this chapter will present derivatives as a language that has the potential to change the kinds of questions asked from variables measured repeatedly over time. Three differential equation models will be introduced for addressing questions related to the shortterm fluctuation often described as intraindividual variability.
Raman and Quantum Yield Studies of Trp48-d5 in Azurin: Closed-Shell and Neutral Radical Species.

Isotopologues are valuable vibrational probes that shift features in a vibrational spectrum while preserving the electronic structure of the molecule. We report the vibrational and electronic spectra of perdeuterated tryptophan in solution (l-Trp-d5), as Trp48-d5 in azurin, and as the photogenerated neutral tryptophan radical, Trp48-d5•, in azurin. The UV resonance Raman bands of the perdeuterated closed-shell tryptophan in solution and in azurin are lower in frequency relative to the protiated counterpart. The observed decrease in frequencies of l-Trp-d5 bands relative to l-Trp-h5 enables the analysis of vibrational markers of other amino acids, e.g., phenylalanine, that overlap with some modes of l-Trp-h5. The Raman intensities vary between l-Trp-d5 and l-Trp-h5; these differences likely reflect modifications in normal mode composition upon perdeuteration. Analysis of the W3, W6, and W17 modes suggests that the W3 mode retains its utility as a conformational marker; however, the H-bond markers W6 and W1...
Training the trainers: A preceptor development program targeting interprofessional collaboration competencies.

Abstract Introduction Faculty and preceptor development have been noted to be areas of need within the expansion of interprofessional education (IPE). The primary objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the impact of a preceptor development program on pharmacy preceptors' self-reported competence toward interprofessional collaboration. Methods Pharmacy preceptors were invited to participate in a two-hour preceptor development program followed by a brief survey. Preceptor development program objectives were to: define IPE and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP); describe the benefits of IPCP for patients/clients, healthcare providers, and health systems; discuss the four Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies; and describe IPE student experiences aimed at increasing collaborative practice. The Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS) was administered after the preceptor development program. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the data and paired t-tests were used to analyze pre-/post-program scores. Results Thirty (35%) preceptors completed the survey. Mean scores for all twenty items in the ICCAS instrument increased from pre- to post-(p Conclusions A preceptor development program targeting IPE and IPCP increased pharmacy preceptors' self-reported competence toward interprofessional collaboration.
Modification of the 8th AJCC staging system of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Accurate cancer staging is critical not only for planning the clinical management, but also for predicting prognosis in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The former American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system (7 th edition) for PDAC has failed to show prognostic relevance of T stage since vast majority (>90%) of patients who underwent pancreatectomy were classified as T3 (1,2). Moreover, the definition of T3 as tumor extension beyond pancreas without involvement of the celiac axis or superior mesenteric artery (SMA) gave rise to significant inter-observer/institutional variability due to lack of true capsule in the pancreas and highly variable distribution of adipose tissue surrounding the pancreatic parenchyma. To address these issues, the current AJCC staging system for PDAC (8 th edition) uses only tumor size for T1 to T3 (T1, ≤2 cm; T2, >2 cm and ≤4 cm; T3, >4 cm), but maintains the T4 definition as tumor of any size involving the celiac axis, SMA and/or common hepatic artery. The current AJCC staging also subclassifies lymph node (LN) positive group into N1 (1–3 positive LNs) and N2 (≥4 positive LNs). The current 8 th AJCC staging system allows for better reproducibility for T stage classification and better patient stratification compared to AJCC 7 th edition (1).
A Kindred with a β-Globin Base Substitution [β89(F5)Ser→Arg (AGT>AGG); HBB: c.270T>G] Resulting in Hemoglobin Vanderbilt.

High oxygen affinity hemoglobins (Hbs), characterized by a decreased ability to release oxygen to the tissues and a left-shifted oxygen dissociation curve, are a rare cause of secondary erythrocyto...
A comprehensive merit aid allocation model

This paper highlights the development of a merit-based financial aid allocation model for a large private university incorporating both yield rate prediction and optimal fund distributions. The objective used in the optimal allocation is the average SAT score of the incoming class. In the application, the allocation decision is bound only by the financial aid budget and the number of accepted applicants in homogeneous SAT score groupings. Required yield rates are estimated utilising logistic regression with SAT score and merit aid award levels as the exogenous variables. The parameter estimates are based upon data from the previous year. Comparing the actual result with the model result shows a 17.3 point increase in the mean SAT score, which is shown as equivalent to a 20% increase in the merit aid budget.
Effectiveness of the Dexamethasone Implant in Lieu of Oral Corticosteroids in Intermediate and Posterior Uveitis Requiring Immunosuppression.

Purpose To evaluate dexamethasone intravitreal implant effectiveness in lieu of high-dose oral prednisone for short-term treatment of noninfectious intermediate and posterior uveitis in patients requiring immunosuppression. Methods This is a proof-of-concept, open-label, non-comparative clinical trial with 12-month follow-up. The primary outcome was uveitis control without additional prednisone at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were need for multiple implants or additional prednisone, and safety data. Results 20 patients (28 eyes) were enrolled- 16 eyes had control by 6 months; 20 by 12 months. No patients required high-dose prednisone. 6 patients enrolled on prednisone: 2 stopped; 4 tapered to 7.5 mg daily or less by 12 months. 16 eyes required multiple implants; five required cataract surgery; 12 required drops to control IOP; 2 underwent glaucoma surgery. Conclusions The dexamethasone implant was effective in lieu of high-dose prednisone although the majority required multiple implants. All patients decreased or discontinued prednisone during follow-up.
Tracking Control Using Recurrent-Neural-Network-Based Inversion Model: A Case Study on a Piezo Actuator

This article is concerned with designing a broadband, high accuracy, and computationally efficient real-time controller for piezo actuators (PEAs). The essential component proposed is a recurrent-neural-network (RNN) based inversion model (RNNinv) used to compensate for the PEA nonlinearities. However, the obtained RNNinv may not efficiently model the low-frequency and/or time-varying dynamics of the system due to the limited length of the RNN training set. To address this issue, a linear model embedded with an error term is used to model the low-frequency dynamics in case it is not precisely modeled by RNNinv, and a predictive controller based on this linear model is then designed for precise output tracking. To validate the proposed control framework, the closed-loop stability condition is derived, and the RNNinv stability in unforced mode is investigated. To further improve the accuracy, a mechanism is proposed to separate the controlling dynamics to achieve higher accuracy for applications that cover broad and/or high-frequency ranges. The proposed approach was implemented on a commercial PEA and its performance was demonstrated through comparison with other controllers.
Treatment Options for Early-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma have good prognosis and are treated with curative intent. Although this cohort of patients is generally defined by limited tumor burden, good liver function, and preserved functional status, there remains utility in further stratification to optimize overall survival and limit post-operative morbidity and mortality. Transplant, resection, ablation, transarterial radioembolization, and transarterial chemoembolization, either as monotherapy or in combination, may play a crucial role in treating this cohort of patients depending on a multitude of factors. In this section, we review each treatment modality and provide general guidelines for patient selection.
JUUL the heartbreaker: Twitter analysis of cardiovascularhealth perceptions of vaping

INTRODUCTION The public most frequently associates tobacco use solely with pulmonary health risks, despite heart disease being the leading cause of death in smokers. The health perceptions of e-cigarettes, especially cardiovascular health, have not been well studied. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and health perceptions of tweets related to cardiovascular, pulmonary, and brain health - three organ systems for which tobacco use is a major disease risk factor. METHODS We examined the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and brain health perceptions of vaping and JUUL on Twitter, followed by a content analysis of tweets pertaining to the cardiovascular risks. A Twitter firehose API scraped about 6.2 million publicly available tweets from 2015-2019 that contained vaping-related terms, and a separate dataset of about 1.9 million tweets that contained the term JUUL. A quantitative content analysis (n=2145) of tweets was subsequently conducted to assess the health perceptions of vaping and JUUL. Two trained coders independently assessed the posts and Twitter profiles to determine age (<18 or ≥18 years), sex, race, sentiment towards JUUL, and vaping-related topics. RESULTS The majority of tweets containing vaping or JUUL-related terms did not also contain cardiovascular, pulmonary, or brain health terms (97.99% and 96.67%, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that youth (<18 years), females, non-White individuals, mention of a flavor, and mention of cardiovascular health harm words were associated with more positive sentiments towards JUUL. Pearson's chi-squared analyses indicated that youth were more likely to mention a JUUL flavor. Females and youth were more likely to reference cardiovascular terms with humor. CONCLUSIONS The cardiovascular health risks of vaping are not fully recognized by the public. Vulnerable populations such as youth and females reference JUUL with cardiovascular-related words that downplay the severity of tobacco as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Human-like versus me-like brands in corporate social responsibility: the effectiveness of brand anthropomorphism on social perceptions and buying pleasure of brands

This experimental study investigates the effects of brand anthropomorphism on humanlike brand perceptions and buying pleasure in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Drawing on two conceptual approaches to brand anthropomorphism, this research examines the effectiveness of CSR when brands are anthropomorphized (Study 1) and when anthropomorphized brands are congruent to self-concepts (Study 2). Study 1 finds that when CSR is presented by anthropomorphized (vs. non-anthropomorphized) brand messages, consumers are more likely to perceive a greater sense of warmth and buying pleasure. The mediation analysis reveals that warmth is a psychological mediator underlying the positive effect of anthropomorphic messages on buying pleasure. Study 2 finds that those who perceive high (vs. low) self-brand congruity are more likely to perceive social connections to brands, warmth perceptions, and buying pleasure. Further, these effects are more prominent when anthropomorphized brands are utilitarian products. For hedonic products, however, consumers report consistently favorable responses regardless of the degree of self-brand congruity. The mediation analysis shows that the positive effect of self-brand congruity on buying pleasure is sequentially mediated by social connections and then warmth consumers perceive toward the brands. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed with specific reference to the integration of brand anthropomorphism and CSR.
Correction to: Electric polarization and depolarization of solder, and their effects on electrical conduction

The authors regret a numerical error in calculating the fraction of electrons that participate in the polarization.
Snapping Turtle Populations and Movements in South-central Montana

Snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) populations were surveyed on a number of tributaries and other water bodies in south eastern Montana along the Yellowstone River in 2016 and 2017. While records exist from incidental observations, systematic surveys for snapping turtles have not previously been conducted in Montana. Little is known about their population density and specific habitat requirements in northern parts of their range. Anthropogenic changes in land use and hydrology may affect nesting sites and hibernacula and thus snapping turtle vital rates, while also impeding metapopulation connectivity or recolonization after localized extinctions. Eighty two snapping turtles (including nine recaptures) were recorded primarily in small creeks, ponds and lakes. Only one snapping turtle was captured on the Yellowstone River though many were found in small tributaries. When analyzed separately capture success rates were significantly different amongst five creeks (p < .05) with a higher proportion of males in all populations (p < .05). Afteridentifying several creeks with larger numbers of snapping turtles present we fitted turtles over 8 kg with radio transmitters, beginning June 2017. Movements of radio-tagged individuals were recorded at least monthly to determine average distances moved. Maximum river miles moved per turtle were averaged (females = 0.83 miles and males = 1.21 miles). Low numbers of females could indicate higher female mortality related to risks during nesting such as crossing roads. Snapping turtle abundance was highest in creeks dominated by cattle grazing or agricultural uses. Creeks with lower abundance were dominated by urbanization and higher density of road crossings, potentially leading to increased mortality and lower hatchling success rates.
To live and let die: Food, famine, and administrative violence in Democratic Kampuchea, 1975–1979

Abstract Between 1975 and 1979 approximately two million people died in the Cambodian genocide. We argue that the mass violence that transpired during this period was a manifestation of the Khmer Rouge's attempt to make life. Through a focus on the production of both violence and vulnerability we direct attention to the contradictory policies and practices forwarded by the Khmer Rouge that were designed to maximize life through the maximization of death. Specifically, we consider the mass starvation that accompanied the genocide as a structure of violence; we forward the argument that the rationing of food constitutes a calculated yet contradictory policy, namely that food rations represent in material form an inner contradiction of fostering life and disallowing life. Subsequently, the policy of forced rations—which imposed a particular space of vulnerability on Cambodia's population—resulted in massive loss of life through starvation and disease that were not the unintended side-effects of poor research, poor planning, or poor implementation on behalf of the Khmer Rouge, but rather were the necessary consequences of a proto-capitalist form of state-building.
The hydration structure of dissolved carbon dioxide from X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Abstract The dissolution of carbon dioxide in water and its subsequent hydrolysis reactions comprise one of the most central processes in all of science, yet it remains incompletely understood despite enormous effort. We report the detailed characterization of dissolved CO2 gas through the combination of X-ray spectroscopy and first principles theory. The molecule acts as a hydrophobe in water with an average hydrogen bond number of 0.56. The carbon atom interacts weakly with a single water at a distance of >2.67 A and the carbonyl oxygens serve as weak hydrogen bond acceptors, thus locally enhancing the tetrahedral water hydrogen bonding structure.
Quality Indicators for Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy has become the screening test of choice for many gastroenterologists and patients, yet population studies have demonstrated that its protective effects are not as robust as previously thought. Interval cancers have been shown to be more prevalent than once thought, as a result of several factors. One of these is the adenoma detection rate (ADR). ADR is a very strong measure of colonoscopy performance quality that correlates with subsequent cancer risk. Detection of adenomas and other key issues in quality assurance for colonoscopy are now being addressed through joint efforts by several national medical and gastroenterologic societies. A list of proposed quality indicators has been created, with each measure well supported by evidence-based studies. Indicators that are discussed in more detail are the ADR, withdrawal time, cecal intubation rate, proper standardized colonoscopy reporting, and adequate bowel preparation. Lastly, accountability measures are now being implemented with national endorsement by the National Quality Forum (NQF) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. A pay for performance model is a strategy that aims to encourage and reward high-quality health care. The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) uses a combination of incentive payments and payment adjustments to encourage reporting of quality information by professionals. Health-care providers have a vital responsibility to provide optimal health care to patients. Well-supported quality indicators in colonoscopy are now available to help ensure that our patients receive the best care possible for their colon.
Socially Rivalrous Information: Of Candles, Code, and Virtue

This article presents a novel historical and philosophical critique of the prevailing view among intellectual property theorists that information is best modeled as a non-rival economic resource. The article traces the prevailing view about information back to the philosophers and scientists whose thought dominated the Eighteenth Century Enlightenment - particularly Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and John Locke. In fact, one of the enduring metaphors for the non-rival nature of information - Thomas Jefferson's candle - depends on a view of "nature" drawn directly from Bacon, Newton and Locke. It is surprising that this metaphor endures. Contrary to the Enlightenment project, the epistemology and ontology that informs the notions of "cyberspace" and the "information commons" are non-foundationalist and constructivist. Indeed, the predominant postmodern critique of intellectual property revolves around the social construction of the "romantic author." This paper demonstrates, however, that Claude Shannon's mathematical information theory fuels the trope that information is a sort of "code" that can be abstracted from any context and freely shared without diminution. The aphorism "code is law," then, represents a curious mix of Enlightenment and postmodern thought. This mix does not work well. It leads to a groundless pragmatism pitted with intractable empirical lacunae. The article proposes instead a critical realist perspective on the socially rivalrous aspects of information. This perspective recognizes that information has a real relation to an external reality and yet, at the same time, that information is both socially constructed and a tool of social construction. The paper demonstrates that the law recognizes how information plays precisely such a community-constructive role in areas outside "hard" intellectual property law and cyberlaw. In particular, the law of trade secrets, insider trading, and pre-contract disclosures regulates the socially rivalrous aspects of information. The article then suggests that information policy should attend to virtues and practices that enhance human flourishing in communities constructed by rivalrous information, using the network neutrality debate as an example.
Sleep Problems Seen in Pediatric Practice

To determine whether sleep problems commonly seen in pediatric practice, such as conflicts at bedtime and night waking, are associated with more pervasive disturbances in the child or family, two groups of healthy children were studied. Interview data from a pilot sample were examined to identify factors that might be important in sleep problems, and then the results were validated with data from the second sample. The two samples included 96 white children between 6 months and 4 years of age. In each group, approximately 30% had a sleep problem by the criteria that night waking involving parents or bedtime struggles occurred three or more nights a week for the month preceding the interview, accompanied by conflict or distress. Five experiences distinguished children with sleep problems from those without: an accident or illness in the family, unaccustomed absence of the mother during the day, maternal depressed mood(s), sleeping in the parental bed, and maternal attitude of ambivalence toward the child. These experiences correctly classified 100% of pilot and 83% of validation sample children as having a sleep problem or not. The similarity of findings in the two samples attests to the potential importance of sleep problems as an early childhood symptom. Bedtime conflicts and night waking seem to be quantifiable, easily ascertainable behavior patterns that could alert pediatric health professionals to the existence of more pervasive disturbances in child and family.