cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A technique for optimization of digitally reconstructed radiographs of the chest in virtual simulation.

Abstract Introduction: Virtual simulation (VS) of radiotherapy uses CT data. Digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) are a critical element of this process, and the quality of these images is frequently suboptimal. We present techniques to improve DRR quality for clinical purposes. The results of two approaches to DRR optimization are presented. Methods and Materials: One approach to DRR optimization is to use traditional radiographs as a guide and to adjust the algorithm parameters based on image and objective contrast to produce images that more closely resemble traditional radiographs (Method 1). Another approach is to focus on the visibility of specific anatomic structures. Using this method, two DRR images are optimized manually by interactively adjusting reconstruction parameters, then they are combined into a single composite image (Method 2). DRRs for the chest region, generated using both methods, were evaluated by clinical staff based on usability for treatment verification and field definition. Results: Using Method 1, the resulting DRRs more closely resembled traditional radiographs. This technique allows DRR quality to be improved with little user interaction. These DRRs are generally adequate for clinical use, but not optimal for sites such as the chest. Images generated using Method 2 were considered clinically superior in terms of visibility of specific anatomic structures. These images also compare well with traditional radiographs, although they show an increased contrast level between bone and lower density structures. Conclusion: Both Methods 1 and 2 can be used to improve DRR quality for clinical purposes. For the chest region, the additional effort required by Method 2 to achieve a more detailed image appears justified.
Active surveillance of renal cortical neoplasms: a contemporary review.

AbstractIntroduction: Over the past 2 decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of incidentally found small renal cortical neoplasms (RCNs). As more RCNs are being discovered in the elderly and infirmed patient populations, there has been a growing interest in the role of active surveillance (AS). Active surveillance is recommended for high surgical-risk patients and those with a reduced life expectancy. It is also an option for patients wishing to avoid surgery. We review the current literature on AS and highlight the natural history of disease, the important factors to evaluate during AS, and the contemporary role of biopsy. Methods and Materials: The MEDLINE database was searched using PubMed. Search terms included active surveillance, renal mass, natural history, and renal mass histology. From 1966 to present, 17 AS series were identified, all of which have been included in this summary. A summary was performed by compiling all available data and performing a weighted mean where app...
Methylphosphonic acid oxidation kinetics in supercritical water

Oxidation and hydrolysis rates of the model organophosphorus compound, methylphosphonic acid (MPA), were measured in supercritical water. The effects of MPA concentration (0.5 to 1.0 mM), oxygen concentration (1.0 to 3.8 mM), temperature (478 to 572°C) and pressure (138 to 277 bar) on oxidation rates were determined for residence times ranging from 3.0 to 9.5 s. The MPA oxidation rate was dependent on both oxygen concentration and pressure (or water density), but was relatively independent of initial MPA concentration. The only phosphorus-containing product was phosphoric acid, while the primary carbon-containing products included carbon monoxide, methane, and carbon dioxide. Data were regressed to an empirical global rate law with a pre-exponential factor of 1014.0±1.6 (s−1 M−1.47), an activation energy of 228±22 kJ/mol, a first-order MPA dependence, an oxygen order of 0.30±0.18, and a water order of 1.17±0.30 (all parameters to 95% confidence). A macroscopic model was also developed to estimate reaction rate constants and oxygen dependences of the major identified reaction pathways. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 673–683, 2004
Interspecific competition between two invasive species of container mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae), in Brazil.

As a result of numerous successful invasions by both Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Ades aegypti (L.), the current worldwide distributions of these mosquito species overlap. Shared larval habitats and shifts in the distribution and abundance of resident A. albopictus or A. aegypti after the establishment of the other species suggest that competitive displacement occurs. Experiments on larval competition between North American populations of the two species showed that A. albopictus has the competitive advantage under local field conditions, which apparently accounts for displacement of A. aegypti from much of the United States after the invasion of A. albopictus. The role of competition, and potential shifts of competitive advantage in different parts of their worldwide ranges are unknown, but variation due to intraspecific or environmental differences is possible. In the current study, we measured the performance of larvae of Brazilian populations of A. albopictus and A. aegypti competing under field conditions in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Finite rates of increase for each species were estimated and the effects of species composition, larval density, and leaf litter resource levels were determined. A. albopictus maintained positive population growth at higher combined densities and lower per capita resource availability than did A. aegypti. A. albopictus showed higher survivorship than A. aegypti under all treatments and leaf litter resource levels. These results indicate that in Brazil, just as in North America, A. albopictus is a superior larval competitor to A. aegypti when exploiting leaf litter resources. Our results further suggest that this competitive advantage for A. albopictus is likely to be independent of mosquito population origin, local environmental conditions, and local differences in the types of leaves that form the resource base of the aquatic habitats of larvae.
EPIZOOTIOLOGY OF QUAHOG PARASITE UNKNOWN (QPX) DISEASE IN NORTHERN QUAHOGS (=HARD CLAMS) MERCENARIA MERCENARIA

The economically important marine bivalve mollusc, Mercenaria mercenaria, (commonly called a northern quahog or hard clam), has endured considerable mortalities caused by a thraustochytrid pathogen called Quahog Parasite X (QPX). Data on the percent prevalence of QPX infections were compiled from published reports along with our data to describe the epizootiology of QPX disease. QPX infections occurred in clams collected from both cultured beds and wild populations, but a higher percentage of QPX cases (76.5%) were from cultured clam beds. In addition, samples from cultured beds had a significantly higher prevalence (29.2 ± 27.2%) of QPX infections compared with samples from wild populations (9.6 ± 9.6%). The highest prevalence of QPX infections occurred in clams from samples with an intermediate size range (shell lengths 20-55 mm). QPX infections occurred in both male and female clams, but infection prevalence does not appear to be correlated with sex or sex ratios. The geographical range of QPX-related clam mortalities was Atlantic Canada to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, USA. Only marginally significant differences were detected between the prevalence of QPX at different locations. There were no latitudinal gradients in QPX prevalence or frequencies, suggesting local factors were important in determining its distribution. Although QPX infections occurred throughout the year, no seasonal trends in the prevalence or frequencies of QPX were discernable. This summary of information available on QPX disease highlights the need for more thorough data collection regarding factors believed to be associated with its presence and severity in hard clams.
Differential modulation of surface antigens on human macrophages by IFN-gamma and GM-CSF: effect on susceptibility to LAK lysis.

We have previously reported that cultured human monocytes are lysed by autologous lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells in vitro and that treatment of monocytes with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) decreased their sensitivity to lysis. Conversely, incubation of monocytes with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) significantly enhanced their susceptibility to LAK-mediated cytotoxicity. To determine if certain antigens were differentially modulated on macrophages by IFN-gamma and GM-CSF, cytokine-treated and untreated monocytes were analyzed for the expression of a variety of cell surface markers by flow cytometry. Cytotoxicity assays were performed to assess the ability of antibodies to each of these markers to block LAK lysis of macrophage target cells. While several of the surface structures were differentially modulated by cytokine treatment, it was found that only monoclonal antibodies to the adhesion proteins CD1la and CD18 were capable of blocking lysis of either cytokinetreated or untreated target macrophages.
Lentils (Lens culinaris L.) as a Source of Dietary Selenium

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for humans and animals. Its nutritional functions are discharged by a group of proteins that contain Se in the form of selenocystein (SeCys), which is synthesized by the cotranslational addition of inorganic selenide to tRNA-bound serine [1]. The human selenoproteome consists of 25 selenoproteins [2], including four glutathione peroxidases, which catalyze the reduction of hydroperoxides [3]; three thioredoxin reductases, which are NADPH-dependent flavoenzymes that function in intracellular redox regulation [4]; three iodothyronine 5′-deiodinases, which catalyze the removal of iodine from the thyroid hormones (T4, T3); and selenoproteins P (the major transport form) [5], W (in muscle) [6], and R (methionine sulfoxide reductase) [7]. Because many selenoproteins have antioxidant functions, Se is regarded as important in metabolic protection from cellular-oxidative stress.
Asthma in the elderly: the effect of choline supplementation

Background Asthma in the elderly is poorly understood as very few studies have included these patients. DNA methylation can affect the expression of asthma susceptibility genes. Methyl groups can be produced through a choline dependent pathway. Asthmatics have decreased serum choline. We studied the effect of choline supplementation in elderly asthmatics and associations between different parameters at baseline.
HIGHER PLASMA TRIMETHYLAMINE-N-OXIDE IS ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER ATHEROSCLEROTIC BURDEN QUANTIFIED BY THE SYNTAX SCORE

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a gut microbiota metabolite from dietary of phosphatidylcholine, shows a mechanistic link to coronary artery disease (CAD) pathogenesis and adverse outcomes. We aimed to examine the relationship between fasting plasma TMAO levels and the complexity and burden of CAD.
Earliest ciliary swimming effects vertical transport of planktonic embryos in turbulence and shear flow

Eggs released by broadcast-spawning marine invertebrates are often negatively buoyant. Blastulae and gastrulae of these species are commonly motile, with passive stability that leads to upward swimming in still water. The earliest occurrence of swimming in developing embryos of diverse invertebrates may therefore permit vertical migration in nature. I used turbulent and laminar shear flows to investigate: (1) the speed and direction of transport of non-motile and newly swimming stages of the echinoids Dendraster excentricus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus in turbulence, and (2) the limit of stable vertical orientation in swimming blastulae of D. excentricus . Swimming contributed significantly to the rate of upward transport of D. excentricus in turbulence experiments where the kinetic energy dissipation rate (e) was ∼10–2cm2s–3. However, swimming significantly reduced the rate of upward transport of S. purpuratus blastulae in turbulence, suggesting that passively stable swimmers of this species were turned from the vertical, crossed flow-lines, and migrated into downwelling. Observations of swimming in laminar shear indicate that D. excentricus swimming blastulae maintain a vertical orientation until shear approaches 0.26s–1, equivalent to sub-microscale shear in turbulence where e is ∼10–3cm2s–3. Swimming speeds of D. excentricus showed an unexpected dependence on shear, indicating that greater shear (within limits) can enhance speed of ciliary swimming. In D. excentricus , swimming by newly hatched blastulae should support upward migration in turbulence characteristic of coastal surface waters, whereas species differences in passive stability and swimming responses to shear may lead to differences in vertical transport and subsequent dispersal. * g : constant of gravitational acceleration MB : stabilizing moment from body forces MS : stabilizing moment from external flow r : radius U : flow speed v : Kolmogorov velocity, or mean velocity below Kolmogorov length (η) e : rate of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation ρ : excess density μ : dynamic viscosity η : Kolmogorov length, or microscale of turbulence
Patient-reported symptoms and survival in ovarian cancer.

Objective While the development of an index of clinical symptoms to use for the detection and diagnosis of ovarian cancer is under active investigation, the role of clinical symptoms in survival after the initial diagnosis is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to correlate the type and extent of clinical symptoms with survival outcomes in ovarian cancer. Methods Medical records of 276 cases of primary epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancers were evaluated. Thirty-one symptoms in 5 categories were cataloged. The significance of clinical symptoms in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated. Results Overall, 93.5% of ovarian cancer patients expressed at least 1 symptom at the time of initial diagnosis. The 3 most common symptoms were abdominal pain (40.6%), increased abdominal size (33.7%), and bloating (21.7%). In survival analysis, weight loss (16.3%), nausea/vomiting (13.4%), and lower extremity edema (6.5%) were significantly associated with both decreased PFS and OS (all, P Conclusions Lower extremity edema at initial diagnosis is a strong prognostic indicator of ovarian cancer patient.
Parameterized Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine Wake Model Using CFD Vorticity Data

In order to analyze or optimize a wind farm layout, reduced-order wake models are often used to estimate the interactions between turbines. While many such models exist for horizontal-axis wind turbines, for vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) a simple parametric wake model does not exist. Using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations we computed vorticity in a VAWT wake, and parameterized the data based on normalized downstream positions, tip-speed ratio, and solidity to predict a normalized wake velocity deficit. When compared to CFD, which takes about a day to run one simulation, the reduced-order model predicts the velocity deficit at any location within 5-6% accuracy in a matter of milliseconds. The model was also found to agree well with trends observed in experimental data. Future additions will allow the reduced-order model to be used in wind farm layout analysis and optimization by accounting for multiple wake interactions.
Muscle surface pH: measurement technique and responses to acidosis and alkalosis

The technique of muscle surface pH measurement used clinically was refined for application in animal experimentation. Guidelines for electrode utilization were developed, and sources of error were investigated. In pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rabbits, during steady-state conditions, the surface pH of the medial gastrocnemius [7.39 +/- 0.05 (SD)] was equal to that of the soleus, and both were lower than femoral venous outflow pH (7.42 +/- 0.04, P less than 0.001), which was lower than arterial pH (7.46 +/- 0.05, P less than 0.001). With acid-base infusions, the same relationship found during steady-state control conditions (arterial greater than venous outflow greater than muscle surface pH) was observed despite large fluctuations in blood pH. Only during forced hypoventilation, when CO2 transiently moved into muscle, did the relationship reverse. In all experiments, muscle surface pH followed venous outflow pH more closely than it followed arterial pH, the soleus more rapidly than the medial gastrocnemius. Results were consistent with the physiological characteristics of the two muscles and demonstrated that muscle surface pH reflects the local pH of the interstitial compartment under the site of electrode placement.
Clinical significance of serum Thymidine Kinase 1 in ovarian cancer

Objective To investigate the serum thymidine kinase 1(TK-1) level and its clinical significance of patients with primaryovarian cancer. Methods The research included 116 patients with ovarian cancer(ovarian cancer group)from March 2010 to June 2014 in the First People's Hospital of Chong Qing New North Zone and Southwest Hospital of Chongqing, while the 54 patients with ovarian benign tumor(ovarian benign tumor group) and 56 cases of healthy control(healthy controls group)were selected. The general situation, clinical manifestations of three groups were recorded and levels of serum TK-1 and CA125 were detected. Patients with treatment were followed up regularly, and the risk factors of progression-free survival time were analyzed with Logistic regression. The correlation between the indexes were analyzed by Pearson and Spearman coefficient. Results The levels of TK-1 [(4.89 ±1.85) pmol/L] and CA125[(647.08±208.83) pmol/L] of patients in the ovarian cancer group were significantly higher than those in the ovarian benign tumor group [(0.59±0.23),(22.71±9.62) pmol/L] and healthy control group [(0.61±0.20),(22.11±9.94) pmol/L]. The TK-1 levels were higher in patients with advanced clinical stageor and distant metastasis than others(all P 0.01). The level of TK-1 was significant positive correlation with CA125 level and clinical stage(r = 0.657, 0.567, all P 0.001).The long-term(about 30 months)progression-free survival rate of patients with initial high level of TK-1(≥4.00 pmol/L)was lower than that of the low level(4.00 pmol/L), the difference was statistically significant(P = 0.011). Clinical stage, initial levels of CA125 and TK-1 were negative risk factors of progression-free survival time. Conclusion There is significant increase of serum TK-1 level in ovarian cancer patients, and it is related to the CA125 level and clinical stage. Initial high TK-1 level predicts poor prognosis. Advanced clinical stage, the initial high level of CA125 and TK-1 affect progression-free survival time after treatment.
Development and Suggestion of the Energy-Internet

Energy is an important material basis of the survival and development for human society, and greatly promotes the development of world economy and human society. This paper leads the concept of the energy internet based on the analysis of development and application of energy, and elaborates the connotation and characteristics of the energy-internet. Finally, the construction of energy-internet home and abroad are introduced, and some pieces of suggestions for the development of energy-internet within Jiangsu Power Grid combining with its current status are presented.
Sagittal alignment changes and proximal junctional kyphosis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Commentary On Basques BA, Long WD, 3rd, Golinvaux NS, Bohl DD, Samuel AM, Lukasiewicz AM, et al. Poor visualization limits diagnosis of proximal junctional kyphosis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine J 2015. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2015.10.040
Medical Student Personal Protective Equipment Training Through Simulated Contamination

To teach medical students safe personal protective equipment doffing, we developed a low-cost, time and resource efficient curriculum using dilute, fluorescent laundry detergent to demonstrate visual evidence of breaks in doffing protocol. After two training sessions, self-contamination while doffing decreased and students’ confidence to doff improved.
Modeling Herriott cells using the linear canonical transform

We demonstrate a new way to analyze stable, multipass optical cavities (Herriott cells), using the linear canonical transform formalism, showing that re-entrant designs reproduce an arbitrary input field at the output, resulting in useful symmetries. We use this analysis to predict the stability of cavities used in interferometric delay lines for temporal pulse addition.
Identification of a Homeobox-Like Protein Immune Response in Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

Abstract The identification of novel immune targets following hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) promises to identify clinically important graft-v-leukemia and graft-v-host disease targets. High-density protein microarrays present thousands of human proteins and facilitate broad-band multiplexed quantitative auto and alloreactive antibody screening. Our studies utilized both male and female patient plasma which were collected pre-transplant and one year post-transplant to identify new immune response targets. The tetra-peptide repeat homeobox-like protein (TPRXL) was initially identified by protein microarray as a potential biomarker in one MDS and four AML transplant patients. We developed an ELISA assay by affinity purifying TPRXL expressed in E.coli, and tested plasma samples collected from 80 HCT patients 1–2 years after HCT. A 42% sero-positive incidence was found across the group of post transplant samples (p-value
1-(2,4,6-Triisopropyl-phen-yl)ethanone.

The title compound, C17H26O, is a di-ortho-alkyl substituted phenyl ethanone that exhibits a significant twisting of the ketone fragment relative to the aromatic ring [O—C—C—C torsion angle = 89.32 (17)°] due to steric pressure from the ortho-isopropyl groups. One ortho- and the para-isopropyl group exhibit orientational disorder with a refined site occupancy factor of 0.562 (3):0.438 (3).
DIFFICULT SEQUENCES IN THE SYNTHESIS OF G-PROTEIN FRAGMENTS THAT HARBOR A PUTATIVE ADHESION MOTIF

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a study analyzing difficult sequences in the synthesis of G-protein fragments. Peptides were prepared with a carboxamide C-terminus employing an Fmoc strategy. Solid-phase synthesis was performed using an ABI Model 431A Peptide Synthesizer with programs and chemicals provided by the manufacturer. Some syntheses were interrupted to secure partial fragment(s), without noticeable effect on coupling efficiencies. The main solvent was N-methyl-pyrrolidone. DCC/HOBt were employed as coupling agents and 4-(2,4,-dimethoxyphenyl-Fmoc-aminomethyl)-phenoxy co(polystyrene-l% divinylbenzene) peptide amide resin (Calbiochem catalog #757731) served as the solid support. Double couplings were applied selectively. Side-chain protecting groups were t-But (Asp, Glu, Ser, Thr, Tyr); t-Boc (Lys); Trt(His, Cys); and PMC(Arg). The chapter discusses the progress of the synthesis of bGt1 Glu (305)–Lys(329) peptide. In characteristic fashion, double couplings were only of limited effect. Sluggish aminoacylations were consistently encountered, starting with residue Lys(313) and step 17 in the synthesis, and persisted throughout the tetrapeptide Val-Asp-Arg-Arg.
Der Einfluss der Deutschen in der Materiellen Entwicklung des Landes

Um die Eigenschaften des deutschen Ackerbauers in den Vereinigten Staaten kennen zu lernen, gilt es, sich zu den pennsylvanischen Deutschen des 18. Jahrhunderts zuruckzuversetzen. Zeigt doch der Typ dieses Ansiedlers, einerlei ob er sich in Pennsylvanien oder in den nordlich und sudlich davon liegenden Kolonien niedergelassen hat, immer wieder dieselbe unubertroffene, erfolgsichernde Tuchtigkeit im Ackerbau. Wir besitzen keine bessere Beschreibung des deutsch-pennsylvanischen Ackerbauers als die des im 18. Jahrhundert lebenden Dr. Benjamin Rush, der in 16 Leitsatzen die Merkmale hervorhob, durch die sich der deutsche Landwirt von dem eingeborenen unterscheidet. Indem wir Dr. Rushs Beobachtungen mit Feststellungen aus einer spateren Zeit verbinden, konnen wir das Bezeichnende des deutsch-amerikanischen Landwirtschaftsbetriebs im 18. und 19.
Volume and value of marine ornamentals collected in Florida, 1990-98

The marine life fishing industry in Florida is defined by the state as the non-lethal harvest of marine plants, finfish, and invertebrates that are sold live for commercial purposes (primarily into the saltwater aquarium industry). Approximately 330 different species of finfish and invertebrates are harvested by marine life collectors in Florida, including 180 species of finfish and 150 species of invertebrates and plants. In 1998, the total dockside value of these species was approximately US$1.9 million. The industry is highly regulated via limits on gear, handling methods, harvest sizes, and trip/bag/possession limits. Entry into the industry has been recently curtailed by the implementation of a moratorium on marine life endorsements. The total number of licensed harvesters exceeded 700 in 1998. Approximately 70 wholesales buyers also participated in the market during 1998. The majority of the dockside value is generated in south Florida, with the majority of the remaining value accruing from the region including and north of Tampa Bay. Over 80% of the total value associated with both finfish and invertebrates is generated by only 10 species within each group. Dockside prices vary considerably among the various species landed, with those landed in greater volumes exhibiting the lower prices.
Similar event-related potentials to structural violations in music and language: A replication of Patel, Gibson, Ratner, Besson, & Holcomb (1998).

We report a replication of Patel, Gibson, Ratner, Besson, and Holcomb (1998). The results of our replication are largely consistent with the conclusions of the original study. We found evidence of a P600 component of the event-related potential (ERP) in response to syntactic violations in language and harmonic inconsistencies in music. There were some minor differences in the spatial distribution of the P600 on the scalp between the replication and the original. The experiment was pre-registered at https://osf.io/g3b5j/. We conducted this experiment as part of an undergraduate cognitive science research methods class at Vassar College; we discuss the practice of integrating replication work into research methods courses.
Religious and Spiritual Aspects of Disaster Experience Among Survivors of the 9/11 Attacks on New York City's World Trade Center.

This study examined religious and spiritual aspects of disaster experience among 379 survivors of the 9/11 attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center. Interviews conducted 35 months after the disaster provided structured diagnostic assessments of psychiatric disorders and specific detail of demographic characteristics, experience of the disaster, and variables related to religion and spirituality. The study participants overwhelmingly identified with a specific religion. The disaster appeared to have only modest effects on strength and importance of religion/spirituality, and changes were predominantly positive. Specific religions and faith groups differed in their disaster experience in important ways.
How Do We Look So Far? Notes Toward a Queer-Film Philosophy

There is something peculiarly queer about theory. It is an erotically sentient enterprise because it at once reaches for the abstract and the material. Not unlike the cinema, theory renders the mobile, the malleable, and the inexpressible. A philosophy of queer film, therefore, involves desire. How do we account for its historical unfolding? What filmmakers and critics opened the cinema to a queer experience? The makers and writers discussed below, deliver a theory of “queer” cinema that involves experimentation, “imaging,” and critical engagement with ideology (the abstract) and bodies (the material). In short, it involves movement. Like the queer philosophy it evokes for filmmakers and critics alike, the cinema transforms time and space—aesthetically, politically, and culturally.
Rethinking economic development

I provide a summary, reflection and assessment of the current state of economic development in both the policy and academic worlds. In terms of development policy, currently, the primary focus is on policy interventions, namely, foreign aid, aimed at fixing the “deficiencies” of developing countries. Academic research also has a similar focus, except with an emphasis in rigorous evaluation of interventions to estimate causal effects. A standard set of versatile quantitative tools is used, e.g., experimental and quasi‐experimental methods, which can be easily applied in a range of settings to estimate the causal effects of policies, which are typically presumed to be similar across contexts. In this article, I take a step back and ask whether the current practices are the best that we can do. Are foreign aid and policy interventions the best options we have for poverty alleviation? What else can be done? Is our current research strategy, characterized by rigorous but a lack of context‐specific analysis, the best method of analysis? Is there a role for other research methods, for a deeper understanding of the local context and for more collaboration with local scholars? Repenser le developpement economiquee. Dans cet article, je propose un apercu, une reflexion et une evaluation de l'etat actuel du developpement economique a la fois dans les spheres politiques et universitaires. En matiere de developpement economique, l'attention est principalement portee sur l'intervention politique, c'est‐a‐dire l'aide exterieure visant a corriger les defaillances des pays en developpement. Les recherches universitaires y portent une attention similaire, mais en mettant davantage l'accent sur l'evaluation rigoureuse de ces memes interventions pour en mesurer les effets de causalite. A cette fin, un ensemble d'outils quantitatifs et modulables standard sont utilises, notamment par l'entremise de methodes experimentales et quasi experimentales pouvant facilement s'appliquer a une vaste gamme de situations, et ce aux fins d'evaluations des liens de causalite engendres par ces politiques (liens habituellement consideres comme similaires d'un contexte a l'autre). Dans cet article, je prends un peu de recul pour m'interroger sur la pertinence des pratiques actuelles. Les interventions politiques et l'aide exterieure offrent‐elles les meilleures options pour reduire la pauvrete? Que pouvons‐nous faire d'autre? Notre strategie de recherche actuelle, caracterisee par des analyses rigoureuses mais peu adaptees a des contextes specifiques, est‐elle la meilleure? D'autres methodes de recherche peuvent‐elles permettre de mieux comprendre les contextes regionaux et favoriser une meilleure collaboration avec les intellectuels locaux?
Patterns of tooth crown wear in Dryomys nitedula (Mammalia, Rodentia): age-related variation in the light of annual cycle specifics based on museum collections

We analysed the specifics of age-related variation of tooth crown wear in Dryomys nitedula from Ukraine. The study is based on a morphological sample of 101 specimens (study-skins and skulls), which have been amassed in zoological museums of Ukraine since their establishment. Results suggest that patterns of enamel wear are closely related to the specifics of the species’ annual cycle, in particular to periods of activity and hibernation. It was revealed that the longest period of the species’ activity lasts 5.3 months, and, respectively, the forest dormouse hibernates during not less than 6.5 months. Based on the level of enamel wear, an improved method of age group determination was developed and applied successfully. Six age groups were selected that largely differ by the number of respective specimens with a clearly expressed decrease from the group SAD1 to group SEN. Similarly, there is also a clear decrease in the duration of active phase of annual cycle among subsequent age groups: in groups JUV to AD1, the active period lasts 6 months, while animals of age groups AD2 to SEN are active only for 1 to 4 months. The period of recorded activity decreases with the age determined by the level of tooth crown wear. Morphometric data presented suggest that definitive means of morphometric characters are already formed until the first wintering. We also discuss the absence of young specimens in the samples and the sharp decrease in the number of adults (age groups AD2 and SEN). Most of the species’ records are from the forest steppe zone of Ukraine and the portion of the forest dormouse in forest steppe communities seems to be extremely low (its catches on trap-lines are rather occasional).
Severe Digit Ischemia Associated with Scleroderma: a Case Report and Treatment Guide

Scleroderma is a devastating disease characterized by sclerosis, heart disease, lung fibrosis, and Raynaud’s phenomenon. Raynaud’s phenomenon is a common manifestation of the disease and can be complicated by digit-threatening ischemia and digit ulceration. To date, there have been few studies in the USA demonstrating effective treatment options in the acute management of digit ischemic events. We present a case of a patient with a scleroderma digit crisis who underwent treatment with continuous, intravenous epoprostenol for a total of 5 days with long-term resolution of digit ischemia and prevention of digit amputation.
Adaptive Capacity Planning for Ambulatory Surgery Centers

Problem Definition: Problem Definition: We develop a framework to plan capacity for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) typically consisting of three stages. The problem is to determine the capacity in each stage that efficiently covers possible daily patient demand and to coordinate the three stages of patient visits. The objective is to minimize the total cost incurred in satisfying the daily patient demand, where the total cost is defined as the sum of overtime cost and amortized construction cost for the three stages. Academic/Practical Relevance: Timely capacity adjustment is important for ASC practitioners, but related research is limited. We explicitly consider three sequential stages that are typical in ASCs: the pre-operative at holding room (HR), intra-operative at operating room (OR), and post-operative at post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Such ASCs can be modeled as a hybrid flow shop (HFS) in the scheduling literature. The interdependence of activities and uncertainties in patient-mix as well as their durations pose a significant challenge to manage the capacity of each activity and achieving a smooth patient flow. Methodology: In contrast to the traditional top-down approach to capacity planning, our approach contributes by proposing a bottom-up strategy based on optimization methods combined with analytics that are informed by operational-level archival patient data. Specifically, we use analytics tools to classify patients into groups, which reduces the complexity of the capacity planning problem and improves the model's practicality. Later, we develop several mathematical formulations and heuristics based on scheduling theory to derive the most cost-efficient capacity solution. Results: Given the trade-off between overtime cost and amortized capacity construction cost, this study relaxes the fixed capacity assumption of traditional HFS problems. Because of the computational complexity of the exact HFS model, we develop a heuristic that is straightforward and easy to implement to find cost-efficient capacities for the three stages. Our computational study examines how uncertain business parameters, e.g., patient-mix, service durations, overnight-stay probabilities, affect the capacity planning decision. Managerial implications: This study highlights the benefit of considering multiple stages together in capacity planning, rather than focusing solely on the operating rooms exclusively. We expect our approach to guide the more than 5,000 ASCs in the U.S., performing 23 million surgeries annually, to make appropriate investments that will improve ASC operations via capacity adjustment and patient scheduling.
On the financial superiority of Medicaid specialist insurers: a novel transactions cost/supply chain approach

From 2002 to 2016, U.S. health insurers specialising in Medicaid financially outperformed health insurers specialising in other populations (i.e. groups, individuals, Medicare and federal employees). For this robust finding we developed a novel methodology incorporating transactions cost economics theory with supply chain performance models. The novel approach regards the insured populations as products supplied to health insurers (‘buyers’) in a supply chain. The populations are the ‘indigent’, ‘elderly’, ‘employed’ etc. Each has different care utilisation frequencies of encounters, admissions to hospitals and days in hospital, as well as severities of expenses, contractual arrangements and transaction costs advantages. The population attributes act on return on capital (ROC) through their differential interactions with insurer (buyer) attributes. The results suggest that Medicaid specialist insurers, with their extensive involvement with indigents, have the easiest pathways toward ROC optimisation by tweaking benefits, premiums and administrative expenses, which proxy transaction cost advantages.
Subspace Regularizers for Few-Shot Class Incremental Learning.

Few-shot class incremental learning -- the problem of updating a trained classifier to discriminate among an expanded set of classes with limited labeled data -- is a key challenge for machine learning systems deployed in non-stationary environments. Existing approaches to the problem rely on complex model architectures and training procedures that are difficult to tune and re-use. In this paper, we present an extremely simple approach that enables the use of ordinary logistic regression classifiers for few-shot incremental learning. The key to this approach is a new family of subspace regularization schemes that encourage weight vectors for new classes to lie close to the subspace spanned by the weights of existing classes. When combined with pretrained convolutional feature extractors, logistic regression models trained with subspace regularization outperform specialized, state-of-the-art approaches to few-shot incremental image classification by up to 22% on the miniImageNet dataset. Because of its simplicity, subspace regularization can be straightforwardly extended to incorporate additional background information about the new classes (including class names and descriptions specified in natural language); these further improve accuracy by up to 2%. Our results show that simple geometric regularization of class representations offers an effective tool for continual learning.
TWEAK functions with TNF and IL-17 on keratinocytes and is a potential target for psoriasis therapy.

TNF and IL-17 are two cytokines that drive dysregulated keratinocyte activity, and their targeting is highly efficacious in patients with psoriasis, but whether these molecules act with other infla...
Mechanical control of cyclic AMP signalling and gene transcription through integrins

This study was carried out to discriminate between two alternative hypotheses as to how cells sense mechanical forces and transduce them into changes in gene transcription. Do cells sense mechanical signals through generalized membrane distortion or through specific transmembrane receptors, such as integrins? Here we show that mechanical stresses applied to the cell surface alter the cyclic AMP signalling cascade and downstream gene transcription by modulating local release of signals generated by activated integrin receptors in a G-protein-dependent manner, whereas distortion of integrins in the absence of receptor occupancy has no effect.
Dechanneling and rechanneling calculations

The mechanism whereby ions, channeled along a low index direction in a single crystal, are scattered out of that channel, and how they can feed back again, is a problem of considerable theoretical interest [1,2,3] as more experimental data becomes available [4,5,6].
An impact model of mechanical backlash for control system analysis

Simple models of mechanical backlash found in the control system literature fail to account for the impact behavior that dominates motion at low amplitudes. As a result, such models exhibit certain shortcomings in characterizing the low-amplitude limit cycle oscillations that occur in closed-loop control systems. This paper presents a model of mechanical backlash which incorporates viscoelastic contact forces between the two masses. Simulations of the model show that low amplitude motions are dominated by stable impact patterns, or "contact regimes," which differ greatly from the predictions of simple backlash models. Experimental results from a geared servosystem confirm the existence and robustness of these contact regimes. The implications of these findings on control system analysis conclude the paper.
Studies on the Fructose 1-Phosphate Kinase Activity of Rabbit Muscle Phosphofructokinase

Abstract Pure phosphofructokinase from rabbit skeletal muscle is shown to catalyze the phosphorylation of fructose-1-P. The rate of fructose-1-P phosphorylation is about one-twentieth that of fructose-6-P phosphorylation at optimum conditions. The product of fructose-1-P phosphorylation was shown to be fructose 1,6-diphosphate by a number of criteria. The stoichiometry of the reaction with fructose 1-phosphate was demonstrated to be as shown by Equation 1. The following lines of evidence strongly suggest that the phosphorylation of fructose-1-P is catalyzed by phosphofructokinase. (a) The ratio of fructose-6-P kinase and fructose-1-P kinase activities remains constant during purification, upon DEAE-chromatography and molecular sieve filtration. (b) Rates of inactivation by heating, trypsin digestion, and treatment with pyridoxal-P, maleic anhydride, and succinic anhydride are identical for both activities. (c) Fructose-1-P is a competitive inhibitor of fructose-6-P. (d) The pH activity profiles for both phosphorylation reactions are similar. The enzyme exhibits a normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics with fructose-1-P, but shows positive cooperativity with fructose-6-P as the substrate under the identical conditions. ATP at high concentrations inhibits both kinase activities. Initial rate and product inhibition studies were carried out for the fructose-1-P kinase reaction. The Lineweaver-Burk plots for MgATP at several fixed concentrations of fructose1-P show intersecting lines. MgADP is a competitive inhibitor of MgATP but is noncompetitive with fructose-1-P. Fructose-1,6-diP is a noncompetitive inhibitor of MgATP and fructose-1-P. These results suggest that the kinetic mechanism for the fructose-1-P kinase reaction is sequential.
Bcl2 inhibits apoptosis associated with terminal differentiation of HL- 60 myeloid leukemia cells

The Bcl2 protein inhibits apoptosis (programmed cell death) induced by a variety of noxious stimuli. However, relatively little is known about its effect on apoptosis that occurs after terminal differentiation. Bcl2 protein levels decrease during differentiation of myeloid cells into granulocytes that subsequently undergo apoptosis, but the potential role of Bcl2 in coupling survival and differentiation remains undefined. To ascertain the relationship between decreasing Bcl2 levels and the onset of apoptosis in differentiating myeloid cells, Bcl2 was hyperexpressed in the HL-60 cell line after retroviral gene transfer. After treatment of HL-60/BCL2 cells with all-trans retinoic acid or phorbol myristic acid, Bcl2 levels did not decrease as in normal HL-60 cells but, rather, increased because of activation of the viral promoter. Differentiation of the Bcl2-overexpressing cells was similar to that of normal HL-60 cells, but they showed little evidence for apoptosis and had a prolonged survival. These studies show that the survival-enhancing properties of Bcl2 counteract programmed cell death that accompanies terminal differentiation; however, Bcl2 has no significant effect on differentiation itself, suggesting that apoptosis and differentiation are regulated independently in myeloid cells.
Notification of Workers at High Risk

I believe the high-risk bill is an opportunity to protect the health and well-being of the millions of workers who have been exposed to a myriad of chemicals that we know have the potential for disease. The practical details of implementing such a bill call for a high degree of sensitivity during the implementation of the program to the issues I have outlined; otherwise, its potential for good will possibly be swamped by frustration, miscommunication, and misunderstanding, and this will result in the provision of less than high-quality care for a group of people who deserve the best care and consultation available.
Selling China: Foreign Direct Investment During the Reform Era

A review is presented of the book “Selling China: Foreign Direct Investment During the Reform Era,” by Yasheng Huang.
Splenic preserving distal pancreatectomy: does vessel preservation matter?

Background Splenic preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) can be accomplished with splenic artery and vein preservation or ligation. However, no data are available on the relative merits of these techniques. The aim of this analysis was to compare the outcomes of splenic preserving distal pancreatectomy with and without splenic vessel preservation. Study Design From 2002 through 2009, 434 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy and 86 (20%) had splenic preservation. Vessel preservation (VP) was accomplished in 45 and ligation (VL) was performed in 41. These patients were similar with respect to age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, pathology, surgeons, and minimally invasive approach (79%). For comparison, a matched group of 86 patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DP+S) was analyzed. Results The VP-SPDP procedure was associated with less blood loss than VL-SPDP or DP+S (224 vs 508 vs 646 mL, respectively; p Conclusions This analysis suggests that outcomes are (1) best for VP-SPDP and (2) VL-SPDP provides no short-term advantage over distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. We conclude that splenic VP is preferred when SPDP is performed.