cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attitudes about impairment and depression in elders suffering from chronic heart failure.

Objectives: This study examines the relationship between functional impairment and depression in patients with heart failure using a new measure of Attitudes about Impairment. Methods: Sixty-nine patients with chronic heart failure completed diagnostic interviews and questionnaires about mood, comorbid illness, functional impairment, and social support. Study design was case-control with cases selected because they met criteria for DSM-IV major or minor depression (n = 23). Controls reported no or very few depressive symptoms (n = 46). A preliminary study of the psychometric properties of a new 15-item measure of Attitudes about Impairment was conducted. Results: The Attitudes about Impairment measure had a Cronbach's alpha = 0.81. A factor analysis revealed content domains of negative attitudes about dependency, lack of recreational activities, and concerns about being a burden both currently and in the future. This measure correlated highly with the Geriatric Depression Scale (r = 0.61) and remained high even after controlling for medical burden and social support. Patients were diagnosed with either major, minor or no depression using a DSM-IV based structured interview. Depressed patients had significantly more negative attitudes about impairment and the association between depression and physical impairment was no longer significant after controlling for scores on the Attitudes about Impairment measure. Discussion: Negative attitudes about loss of autonomy, concerns about being a burden and having few recreational activities are strongly associated with depression in patients with heart failure. These attitudes account, in part, for the association between impairment and depression in these patients. The Attitudes about Impairment measure has adequate intemal consistency and both convergent and discriminant validity with related measures of social support, functional disability and depression.
Parental Caregivers' Desires for Lifetime Assistance Planning for Future Supports for Their Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Future life planning is a growing concern among families with children with disabilities. This article presents a needs assessment evaluating feasibility of a new model for future life planning for family caregivers, Lifetime Assistance, which will provide ongoing planning and monitoring for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Using surveys informed by a series of focus groups, data were gathered from older and younger parents in one midwestern state regarding the potential program. Study results indicate that respondents did not feel the current system of support was adequate for planning for their child's future, nor sufficient for monitoring the quality of life for their children in the future. Although almost all families had identified a person to support their family members when they were no longer able to do so, parental caregivers overwhelmingly identified the need for the Lifetime Assistance program and many were willing to pay for this service themselves.
Algorithms for simultaneous satisfaction of multiple constraints and objective optimization in a placement flow with application to congestion control

This paper addresses the problem of tackling multiple constraints simultaneously during a partitioning driven placement (PDP) process, where a larger solution space is available for constraint-satisfying optimization compared to post placement methods. A general methodology of multi-constraint satisfaction that balances violation correction and primary optimization is presented. A number of techniques are introduced to ensure its convergence and enhance its solution search capability with intermediate relaxation. Application of our approach to congestion control modeled as pin density and external net distribution balance constraints shows it effectively reduces overall congestion by 14.3% and improves chip area by 8.9%, with reasonable running time and only 1.6% increase in wire length. As far as we know, this is the first time an approach to congestion reduction during placement optimization produced good congestion improvement with very small wire length increase.
Accessing the trauma of communism Romanian women on US television news

This article centres on representations of Romanian women in the on-site reports filmed by American news crews in the days and weeks following the Romanian revolution. Around these representations, the article traces Romania's journey into televisibility on American television news, from an initially inaccessible site of falling communism to an overexposed site of post-communist trauma. Reports from abortion clinics were the first encounters with the territory of Romania that American television offered firsthand to its viewers, and these representations of Romanian women were the first representations of post-communist identities on American television. The article suggests that these representations of post-communist subjects, who appear as overexposed sites on which American television traces the effects of communism and the predicaments of the post-communist condition, display symptomatic features which have remained pervasive.
Novel polymorphisms within the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted locus in rat: a putative genetic basis for strain-specific allelic gene expression

The imprinted iodothyronine deiodinase-III (Dio3) thyroid hormone metabolizing gene exhibits paternal expression in most fetal tissues, yet exhibits aberrant, maternal expression in the hippocampus in F1 offspring of Sprague Dawley (SD) × Brown Norway (BN) rats. The maternal hippocampal expression is associated with lower Dio3 mRNA levels specifically in the hippocampus. Here, we tested the hypothesis that genetic polymorphisms between the SD and BN parent strains cause this aberrant allelic Dio3 expression and contribute to behavioral sequelae of higher thyroid hormone levels locally in the hippocampus, including anxiety-related behavior. We mapped and sequenced the Dio3 gene and several previously unmapped regions in the Dlk1-Dio3 locus that could regulate imprinting of the Dio3 gene. In the Dio3 promoter we identified four novel polymorphisms between the BN and SD strains. Next we took advantage of the fact that the Long Evans (LE) strain exhibits identical polymorphisms as the SD strain in the region 5' and including the Dio3 gene. By reciprocally crossing LE and BN strains we tested the relationship among Dio3 promoter region polymorphisms and Dio3 mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Aberrant strain-specific hippocampal Dio3 allelic expression replicated in the LE-BN reciprocal crosses, suggesting that hippocampal-specific imprinting of the Dio3 gene is not the result of a unique genetic or epigenetic characteristic of the SD rat strain, or a unique epistatic interaction between SD and BN. To our knowledge no other studies have reported a genetic × epigenetic interaction of genetic origin in the brain.
SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF PLATINUM TRIAMINE COMPLEXES CONTAINING IMIDAZOTHIAZOLE LIGANDS

Abstract A series of platinum(II) and platinum(IV) triamine complexes was prepared, characterized and evaluated as potential antitumor agents. The complexes were cis or trans isomers of the form [PtA2(N-het)Cl]+ or [PtA2(N-het)Cl3]+, where A is the monodentate amine, NH3, or A2 is the bidentate amine, ethylenediamine (en), and N-het is an imidazothiazole or a derivative. The structures of two of the platinum complexes, [Pt(en)(C5H6N2OS)Cl]NO3 (5b) and [Pt(en)(C5H6N2OS)Cl3]NO3 (5e), were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystals of complex 5b were orthorhombic in space group Pna2 1 , a = 9.2451(7), b = 18.950(2), c = 7.908(2) A , Z = 4 . Those of complex 5e were triclinic in space group P(−1), a = 8.2884(9), b = 10.853(1), c = 11.244(2) A , α = 72.50(1), β = 70.42(1), Z = 2 . Biological activity was measured by in vitro assay against S180, L1210 and L1210/DDP cell lines, and IC50 values were calculated by linear regression analysis of the data. Results from these preliminary screens indicate that compounds having cis ammine groups are more active than those with the trans arrangement, consistent with prior observations. Complexes with ligands derived from benzimidazole moieties displayed promising cytotoxicity in vitro. Furthermore, this work shows that cytotoxic complexes were not restricted to compounds with planar ligands, in contrast to previous reports. Platinum(IV) derivatives were as active or more active than their Pt(II) analogues.
Does clinician continuity over two brief motivational sessions improve outcomes in college students

Previous research has shown that brief motivational interventions (BMIs) are an effective treatment approach for reducing college student alcohol use and associated negative consequences. The purpose of this study was to determine whether clinician continuity (having the same vs. a different clinician) across an initial BMI and follow-up booster session was related to differences in session satisfaction, self-reported alcohol use, and alcohol-related negative consequences. Participants included 358 undergraduate students who were part of a larger randomized clinical trial. Results revealed no significant differences in alcohol use and associated consequences at follow-up between participants who met with the same versus a different clinician. Clinician continuity was not significantly related to intervention fidelity in terms of BMI-consistent qualities, relevance of information presented, or session satisfaction. These findings suggest that clinician continuity across BMIs for college students is not related to participant satisfaction or intervention effectiveness, especially if the clinicians adhere to empirically supported techniques.
Coenzyme recognition and gene regulation by a flavin mononucleotide riboswitch

The biosynthesis of several protein cofactors is subject to feedback regulation by riboswitches. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-specific riboswitches, also known as RFN elements, direct expression of bacterial genes involved in the biosynthesis and transport of riboflavin (vitamin B(2)) and related compounds. Here we present the crystal structures of the Fusobacterium nucleatum riboswitch bound to FMN, riboflavin and antibiotic roseoflavin. The FMN riboswitch structure, centred on an FMN-bound six-stem junction, does not fold by collinear stacking of adjacent helices, typical for folding of large RNAs. Rather, it adopts a butterfly-like scaffold, stapled together by opposingly directed but nearly identically folded peripheral domains. FMN is positioned asymmetrically within the junctional site and is specifically bound to RNA through interactions with the isoalloxazine ring chromophore and direct and Mg(2+)-mediated contacts with the phosphate moiety. Our structural data, complemented by binding and footprinting experiments, imply a largely pre-folded tertiary RNA architecture and FMN recognition mediated by conformational transitions within the junctional binding pocket. The inherent plasticity of the FMN-binding pocket and the availability of large openings make the riboswitch an attractive target for structure-based design of FMN-like antimicrobial compounds. Our studies also explain the effects of spontaneous and antibiotic-induced deregulatory mutations and provided molecular insights into FMN-based control of gene expression in normal and riboflavin-overproducing bacterial strains.
Managing Anemia in the Cancer Patient: Old Problems, Future Solutions

Anemia and associated symptoms commonly manifest in cancer patients and may have a considerable impact on outcomes. Preliminary studies suggest that overall survival and locoregional control following radiation therapy may be compromised by anemia, and recent preliminary data also suggest that anemia may be related to poorer outcomes following chemotherapy. Health-related quality of life of cancer patients is also significantly reduced by anemia. Treatment of anemia with recombinant human erythropoietin can improve these health-related quality-of-life outcomes. However, despite this knowledge, anemia remains under-recognized and under-treated in the cancer patient population. A number of issues may be determinants of this suboptimal management of anemia. These include limitations of current therapies for anemia, varying practice strategies, and the lack of guidelines on how to treat anemia. Additionally, clinicians may underestimate the importance of health-related quality of life for their patients. It is vital that these issues are addressed, which, together with the development of novel erythropoietic agents, a review of the guidelines for anemia management, and consideration of further outcomes such as survival and cognitive function, may help to ensure that the cancer patient receives the best possible course of supportive care. The Oncologist 2002;7:331-341
In-bore prostate transperineal interventions with an MRI-guided parallel manipulator: system development and preliminary evaluation

Background Robot-assisted minimally-invasive surgery is well recognized as a feasible solution for diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer in humans. Methods This paper discusses the kinematics of a parallel 4 Degrees-of-Freedom (DOF) surgical manipulator designed for minimally invasive in-bore prostate percutaneous interventions through the patient's perineum. The proposed manipulator takes advantage of four sliders actuated by MRI-compatible piezoelectric motors and incremental rotary encoders. Errors, mostly originating from the design and manufacturing process, need to be identified and reduced before the robot is deployed in clinical trials. Results The manipulator has undergone several experiments to evaluate the repeatability and accuracy (about 1 mm in air (in x or y direction) at the needle's reference point) of needle placement, which is an essential concern in percutaneous prostate interventions. Conclusion The acquired results endorse the sustainability, precision and reliability of the manipulator. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Barriers and Promoters of Mental Health Services Utilization in a Latino Context: A Literature Review and Recommendations from an Ecosystems Perspective

This article focuses on the problems of disparities in mental health service utilization in the Latino population in the United States. It begins with an overview of the Latino population within the United States, an exploration of the diversity within this group, and shared cultural values and traits with a particular focus on the problems of Latino poverty. A review of the literature follows, including identified barriers to and promoters of mental health services utilization. These are contextualized in a Latino perspective using an ecosystems framework. Recommendations are made for future practice, research, and policy regarding mental health and mental health services utilization in the Latino community.
Practical Fine-Grained Information Flow Control Using Laminar

Decentralized Information Flow Control (DIFC) is a promising model for writing programs with powerful, end-to-end security guarantees. Current DIFC systems that run on commodity hardware can be broadly categorized into two types: language-level and operating system-level DIFC. Language solutions provide no guarantees against security violations on system resources such as files and sockets. Operating system solutions mediate accesses to system resources but are either inefficient or imprecise at monitoring the flow of information through fine-grained program data structures. This article describes Laminar, the first system to implement DIFC using a unified set of abstractions for OS resources and heap-allocated objects. Programmers express security policies by labeling data with secrecy and integrity labels and access the labeled data in security methods. Laminar enforces the security policies specified by the labels at runtime. Laminar is implemented using a modified Java virtual machine and a new Linux security module. This article shows that security methods ease incremental deployment and limit dynamic security checks by retrofitting DIFC policies on four application case studies. Replacing the applications' ad hoc security policies changes less than 10p of the code and incurs performance overheads from 5p to 56p. Compared to prior DIFC systems, Laminar supports a more general class of multithreaded DIFC programs efficiently and integrates language and OS abstractions.
The effects of age and gender on parathyroid hormone dynamics.

Background and aims Hyperparathyroidism is a risk factor for bone loss. An age-related increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) level has been demonstrated in several studies. It has been suggested that the type II osteoporotic syndrome, a condition of increased prevalence among elderly women, may be at least partially caused by elevations in intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels. To date, however, the effects of age and gender per se on PTH dynamics in healthy subjects independent of other risk factors such as vitamin D deficiency and/or impaired renal function that can impact on parathyroid function, remain unknown. In this study, we used citrate and calcium (Ca) infusions to characterize the impact of age and gender on PTH dynamics in normal subjects. Subjects and methods Twelve young women with mean age +/- SD of 26.4 +/- 1.6 years, 12 young men with mean age of 26.6 +/- 1.3 years, 12 older women with mean age of 68.6 +/- 1.3 years and 12 older men with mean age of 67.2 +/- 1.6 years were studied. The sigmoidal curves relating serum iPTH to serum levels of ionized Ca (Cai) were characterized by maximal and minimal iPTH levels, the set-points (levels of Cai causing half-maximal suppression of iPTH), and the slopes of the curves at the set-points. Results Baseline serum Ca, Cai, 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D3] levels, as well as the set-points, slopes and minimal values of the sigmoidal curves relating Cai to iPTH, did not differ among the four groups. iPTH levels at baseline were slightly but not significantly higher in the older age groups (P = 0.18). The maximal iPTH level was 25% higher in the older women than in the younger women, although this difference was not significant (P = 0.29). However, the integrated iPTH responses calculated from the areas under the curves (AUC) of iPTH levels vs. time during the calcium and citrate infusions were significantly higher in postmenopausal women than in young women during both infusions and in older men than in young men during the calcium infusion. There was no effect of gender on serum iPTH levels. Conclusions In both women and men, ageing per se, independent of changes in vitamin D economy or renal function, is associated with an increase in integrated PTH secretory response to changes in serum calcium. No alterations in the Cai/iPTH set-point were present. The biological relevance of these modest increments in integrated iPTH levels during dynamic testing in older healthy men and women remain uncertain.
Sonographically guided renal mass biopsy: indications and efficacy.

Purpose To review the clinical indications, pathologic results, and success rate of all our sonographically guided solid renal mass biopsies over a 5-year period. Methods Between 1993 and 1998, 44 consecutive patients underwent sonographically guided percutaneous biopsy of a solid renal mass. Indications included prior history of nonrenal malignancy, metastatic disease of unknown primary origin, previous contralateral nephrectomy for a renal cell neoplasm, a renal transplant mass, suspected renal lymphoma, history of tuberous sclerosis, and poor surgical candidacy. Aspiration biopsies were initially performed with 22- to 18-gauge spinal needles. If the initial cytologic evaluation findings were nondiagnostic, core biopsies were then performed with 20- to 18-gauge core biopsy guns. Dictated sonographic reports of the biopsies were reviewed to determine the following: indication for biopsy, location and size of the renal mass, needle gauge and type, number of needle passes, and complications. Final cytologic and surgical pathologic records were reviewed. Results Thirty-six (82%) of the 44 biopsy specimens were diagnostic. Aspirated smears were diagnostic in 24 (67%) of these cases, with the diagnosis made on the basis of cell block alone in an additional 2 (6%). A definitive diagnosis came from core biopsy alone in 10 cases (28%). The 18-gauge core needle yielded diagnostic results more reliably than the 20-gauge core needle, and a significant correlation was seen between core biopsy needle size and the rate of diagnostic core samples (P = .017). Pathologic diagnoses included renal cell carcinoma (n = 18), lymphoma (n = 4), oncocytic neoplasm (n = 4), transitional cell carcinoma (n = 2), angiomyolipoma (n = 1), papillary cortical neoplasm (n = 1), and metastatic carcinoma (n = 6). Complications were seen in 4 (9%) of 44 cases; all were treated conservatively. Conclusions For specific clinical indications, sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration and core biopsy of a solid renal mass can be performed safely. In many cases, a definitive diagnosis can be made on the basis of fine-needle aspiration alone. However, diagnosis may ultimately require core biopsy, for which 18-gauge core needles would be more reliably diagnostic than 20-gauge needles.
Renal infection and pregnancy outcome

Abstract To evaluate the impact of renal infection on pregnancy outcome, we studied a group of pregnant women with asymptomatic renal bacteriuria and another group who had acute pyelonephritis. In 248 women with asymptomatic bacteriuria, infection was localized by the antibody-coated bacteria method. These women were prospectively matched with abaderiuric control subjects and we found no adverse effects of treated renal or bladder infection. Specifically, the number of women with hypertension and anemia in each group was similar, and infants born to these women were comparable regarding perinatal mortality, mean gestational age, and birth weight, as well as indioes of maturity. A total of 487 women with acute pyelonephritis were evaluated in a case-control study and observations of the correlation of maternal anemia and pyelonephritis were confirmed. Women with antepartum infection had no increased adverse perinatal outcome; however, in some women with intrapartum infection, pyelonephritis appeared to have initiated premature labor. We concluded that treated renal infection, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, does not significantly modify pregnancy outcome. (Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 141:709, 1981.)
Crowd Control: Economic Disruption and the Regulation of Mass Protest

Prepared for Seventh Graduate Student Conference in Political Science, International Relations and Public Policy at Hebrew University of Jerusalem on December 14-16, 2011. This is a preliminary precis for a new project about the regulation of protest in market democracies. It suggests that the process of global economic liberalization necessarily produces dislocation and heightens the risk of angry protest, which if poorly managed threatens political destabilization and a retreat from the project of liberalization itself. Over time, market democracies develop regulatory regimes -- constituted of rules, organizational capacities, and technologies -- for controlling mass protests. Regimes evolve in response to periodic "law and order" crises and also the shifting tactics of protesters themselves. Over time, regimes becoming increasingly stringent, so that the possibility of a "crowd politics" -- a kind of politics in which protests play a significant role in determining policy outcomes -- becomes increasingly remote.
Total Utilization of Miscanthus Biomass, Lignin and Carbohydrates, Using Earth Abundant Nickel Catalyst

Lignin as a polymer of monomeric aromatic compounds retains great potential to be a source for liquid fuels and valuable chemicals. However, lignin from biomass has been traditionally treated as a waste byproduct and in most applications burned for its heat value. In this work, we report the catalytic conversion of lignin in Miscanthus into aromatic products by using earth-abundant Ni catalyst supported on activated carbon, under relatively mild conditions. The special ferulate linkage in grasses gives methyl ferulate ester and its derivatives, which were not observed for wood biomass substrates. By modification of the reaction conditions, saturated or unsaturated branched products can be obtained selectively. Optimal conditions give over 68% yield of select aromatic products from lignin. Furthermore, after lignin depolymerization and upgrading, the carbohydrates of miscanthus were recovered as a solid residue, which upon treatment with iron chloride produced useful platform chemicals (furfurals and levulinic acid). On the basis of our study, all three major components of biomass (lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose) are effectively utilized, with an overall 55% conversion of total accessible biomass into high value chemicals with 98% mass balance.
The Cooperative Financial Institution and Bank Market Power

Cooperative financial institutions arose in response to the perceived failure of the conventional banking system to serve marginal communities. Such institutions now enjoy a widespread and growing presence in banking markets across the world. Yet, the costs and benefits of this organizational form remain a theoretical puzzle. We show that the cooperative organizational form overcomes a classic friction associated with bank market power but that whether overcoming this friction is welfare enhancing or not depends critically on the structure of the local economy. We also show how “redlining” may arise in equilibrium. These results lead to a rich set of implications for empirical and policy research.
Modular isotopomer synthesis of γ-hydroxybutyric acid for a quantitative analysis of metabolic fates.

Herein we report a study combining metabolomics and mass isotopomer analysis used for investigation of the biochemical fate of γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB). Using various 13C incorporation labeling patterns into GHB, we have discovered that GHB is catabolized by previously unknown processes that include (i) direct β-oxidation to acetyl-CoA and glycolate, (ii) α-oxidation to 3-hydroxypropionyl-CoA and formate, and (iii) cleavage of C-4 to yield 3-hydroxypropionate and CO2. We further utilized the unique attributes of our labeling patterns and the resultant isotopomers to quantitate relative flux down the identified pathways.
Hepatoma presenting as extrahepatic biliary obstruction. Report of a case.

A patient with hepatoma who presented with jaundice was found to have obstruction of the common bile duct by thick biliary material that contained malignant cells of hepatocellular origin. It was later shown at autopsy that nodules of hepatoma were present throughout the liver; one of these nodules eroded through the wall of the hepatic duct. This area was proposed as the origin of the necrotic tumor found in the common duct. This cause of jaundice in hepatoma has been only rarely reported previously.
Montium domina: Catullus' Diana, Rome and the moon's bastard light

Catullus' hymn to Diana (Carm. 34) has several affinities with his galliambic Carm. 63, the Attis poem. Close investigation of parallels between these works demonstrates the poet's concern with the problem of the transition from a Trojan past to an Italian present for the construction of a Roman identity, a problem that can be typified by the relationship of the Italian Diana and the Trojan mother goddess Cybele. Further, certain aspects of Catullus' depiction of the tension inherent to the synergy of the two goddesses in the religious identity of Rome can be seen to have influenced the climactic revelation of the future Roman identity in the closing movements of the Virgilian Aeneid.
Z° Physics at the SLC

This Report Summarizes The Material Covered In Two Lectures Given During The Summer Of 1988. The Same Two Lectures Were Given At Both The Banff Summer Institute And The Advanced Study Institute On Techniques And Concepts Of High Energy Physics At St. Croix. In Both Cases The Audience Was A Mixture Of Recent And Soon-To-Be Ph.D.’S. The Original Intent Of These Lectures Was To Discuss The Early Physics Results From The Markii Program At The Slc. Given The Delayed Start Of This Program, The Focus Of The Lectures Was Changed To Discuss The Detailed Studies Which Have Been Carried Out On How To Extract The Physics. To Put The Discussion Of The Measurements In Context, A Brief Summary Of The Standard Model Is Presented Along With A Discussion Of The Markii Detector And The Energy Measurement Spectrometers. In Areas Where There Has Been Little Or No Change From Previous Write-Ups Which I Have Done,1 I Have Lifted The Text From These Write-Ups. However, Where The Techniques Have Improved, This Report Reflects Those Changes.
Using the ACGME Milestones for Resident Self-Evaluation and Faculty Engagement

Background Since July 2014 General Surgery residency programs have been required to use the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones twice annually to assess the progress of their trainees. We felt this change was a great opportunity to use this new evaluation tool for resident self-assessment and to furthermore engage the faculty in the educational efforts of the program. Methods We piloted the milestones with postgraduate year (PGY) II and IV residents during the 2013/2014 academic year to get faculty and residents acquainted with the instrument. In July 2014, we implemented the same protocol for all residents. Residents meet with their advisers quarterly. Two of these meetings are used for milestones assessment. The residents perform an independent self-evaluation and the adviser grades them independently. They discuss the evaluations focusing mainly on areas of greatest disagreement. The faculty member then presents the resident to the clinical competency committee (CCC) and the committee decides on the final scores and submits them to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education website. We stored all records anonymously in a MySQL database. We used Anova with Tukey post hoc analysis to evaluate differences between groups. We used intraclass correlation coefficients and Krippendorff's α to assess interrater reliability. Results We analyzed evaluations for 44 residents. We created scale scores across all Likert items for each evaluation. We compared score differences by PGY level and raters (self, adviser, and CCC). We found highly significant increases of scores between most PGY levels (p α : 0.84-0.97). Even though this milestone evaluation process added additional work for residents and faculty we had very good participation (93.9% by residents and 92.9% by faculty) and feedback was generally positive. Conclusion Even though implementation of the milestones has added additional work for general surgery residency programs, it has also opened opportunities to furthermore engage the residents in reflection and self-evaluation and to create additional venues for faculty to get involved with the educational process within the residency program. Using the adviser as the initial rater seems to correlate closely with the final CCC assessment. Self-evaluation by the resident is a requirement by the RRC and the milestones seem to be a good instrument to use for this purpose. Our early assessment suggests the milestones provide a useful instrument to track trainee progression through their residency.
Comparing two model selection frameworks for probabilistic load forecasting

Model selection is an important step for both point and probabilistic load forecasting. In the point load forecasting literature and practices, point error measures, such as mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), are often used for model selection. On the other hand, many probabilistic load forecasting methodologies rely on the model selection mechanism developed for point load forecasting. In other words, the models for probabilistic load forecasting are selected to minimize point error measures rather than probabilistic ones, such as quantile score. Intuitively, selecting models for probabilistic forecasting based on a point error measure is less computationally intensive and less accurate than its counterpart. The practical question is whether we can gain significant accuracy by taking the more computationally intensive route. This paper presents a comparative study on model selection for probabilistic load forecasting, using point and probabilistic error measures respectively. The data for the case study is from the load forecasting track of the Global Energy Forecasting Competition 2014. We find that the two model selection mechanisms indeed return different underlying models. While on average, the models from quantile score based model selection method can lead to more accurate probabilistic forecasts, the improvement over the MAPE based model selection method is marginal.
Hybrid VLC and Radio Communication: Potential, Challenges and Solutions for Coexistence

This panel brings together experts in radio frequency (RF) and optical wireless communication to discuss the feasibility, challenges and solutions for hybrid VLC-RF communication.
Researching the registered: challenges and suggestions for researchers studying sex offender populations

AbstractAs interest in registered sex offenders proves to be a popular topic among community members, the media, and legislators alike, researchers must continue to examine the experiences of this offender group. Sex offender registration and community notification laws are diverse across states, creating a difficult and confusing environment for registered sex offenders post-conviction. Often, registered sex offenders report experiences with social stigmatization and physical isolation from their communities as a result of their labeled status. This leads them to be distrustful of outsiders; researchers included. This paper examines the experiences of researchers who have conducted three quantitative and qualitative research projects focused on registered sex offenders and life on the registry. In addition to highlighting the challenges in conducting this type of research, this paper provides a discussion of four specific challenges that may occur when gathering data from community sex offender samples, ...
Clinicopathologic Correlation of a Subretinal Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy Band in a Patient with Chronic Recurrent Retinal Detachment.

Purpose Proliferative vitreoretinopathy is a well-known cause of failure of retinal detachment surgery. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the clinical occurrence and histopathology of a horizontal subretinal band ("clothesline" configuration) creating recurrent and persistent retinal detachment. Observations A 67-year-old Hispanic female with diabetes type 2 and a history of retinal detachment surgery in the left eye (OS) presented with decreased vision OS. Best corrected visual acuity at this recent presentation was 20/80 OS. Clinical examination disclosed a recurrent inferior retinal detachment and a subretinal "clothesline" fibrotic band. Surgical removal of the subretinal band was performed. Histopathological evaluation of longitudinal and transverse sections of the band revealed a cable-like configuration composed predominantly of glial differentiation, RPE differentiation, and collagen, based on morphology and immunohistochemical staining. There was focal smooth muscle and neuroendocrine cell differentiation, as detected with smooth muscle actin (SMA) and S100 staining, respectively. Cross-sections demonstrated pigmented fibrocellular tissue with foci of cells staining positive for S100 and keratin peripherally around the tissue, suggestive of RPE differentiation. Scattered foci of SMA-positive cells suggested mild myoblastic differentiation. Conclusions and importance This case report presents further information on the structure and orientation of the cellular components of subretinal band proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Cells suggestive of Muller cell differentiation compose the central aspect of the band, alongside collagen fibers. RPE differentiation is variably present peripherally in the band, likely reflective of proliferating RPE encircling the subretinal fibrous tissue. A mild amount of myofibroblastic differentiation was present within the band of tissue, correlating with the clinical findings of subretinal tissue contraction and localized retinal detachment.
More About Random Variables

The last chapter covered the basic facts about random variables. In this chapter we discuss a number of different topics related only in that all involve random variables. The first section covers some very important theoretical matters that are necessary for understanding the basic ideas of probability theory. The second section discusses the computation of expected values in certain circumstances; this material is used extensively in Chapters Eight and Nine. The optional third section is concerned with finding variances. The three sections may be read in any order.
A Scalable Feedback-Based Approach to Distributed Nullforming

We present a novel approach to the problem of distributed nullforming where a set of transmitters cooperatively transmit a common message signal in such a way that their individual transmissions precisely cancel each other at a designated receiver. Under our approach, each transmitter iteratively makes an adjustment to the phase of its transmitted RF signal, by effectively implementing a gradient descent algorithm to reduce the amplitude of the overall received signal to zero. We show that this gradient search can be implemented in a purely distributed fashion at each transmitter assuming only that each transmitter has an estimate of its own channel gain to the receiver. This is an important advantage of our approach and assures its scalability; in contrast any non-iterative approach to the nullforming problem requires centralized knowledge of the channel gain of every transmitter. We prove analytically that the gradient search algorithm converges to a null at the designated receiver. We also present numerical simulations to illustrate the robustness of this approach.
Comment on the methodology for separating and determining free and albumin-bound tryptophan levels in blood samples.

Tryptophan in blood circulates in two forms: free, and bound to serum albumin. About 75–80% is normally bound to albumin; the exact amount depends on such factors as the species, when the animal or subject has last eaten (and the composition of the diet), and whether or not any drugs have been administered that might influence tryptophan binding to albumin (e.g., salicylate, heparin). At present, the relationship between albumin binding and tryptophan availability to tissues (e.g., brain) for uptake is a subject of much study. However, the interpretation of data from different laboratories is often complicated by the fact that a variety of methods is used to separate free from bound tryptophan in the blood, prior to its determination. Depending on the method used, the apparent level of free tryptophan can vary greatly. The purpose of this brief note is to offer suggestions for standardizing the method used to separate free tryptophan in the blood.
Impaired Dynamics of Retinal Processing in Dopaminergic Deficiency States in Man and Monkey

In 1976 we reported and then published in 1978 in greater detail results showing that visual evoked potentials (VEPs), are abnormal in many patients affected by Parkinson’s disease (Bodis-Wollner and Yahr, 1978). This conclusion was somewhat unbelievable, since the disease was considered as an exclusively motor system disorder. Furthermore it was held, since the original description by Halliday and his colleagues (1972) that a ‘delayed’ VEP represents abnormal conduction in the visual pathway due to demyelination, usually caused by multiple sclerosis. Thus, finding that VEPs are delayed in Parkinson’s disease both challenged prior knowledge concerning the extent and nature of the disease, and broadened the interpretation concerning the causes and significance of delayed visual responses. The VEP results in PD suggested that VEP abnormalities may relate to primary neuronal dysfunction in addition to demyelination. Although our results were surprising, there was prior information concerning neuronal dopaminergic mechanisms in visual processing.
Chapter 11 Algal Biofouling of Oligotrophy Lake Tahoe: Causal Factors Affecting Production

Abstract The algal blofouling of oligotrophic Lake Tahoe refers to the increased growth of attached algae, periphyton, on naturally occurring rock substrata along the shoreline. Persistent patterns of periphyton production have been observed and associated with land disturbance (i.e., development) within the watershed. Nutrient bioassays demonstrated productivity can be stimulated with increased availability of nitrogen alone or phosphorus and nitrogen together. Both stream and ground waters have been identified as nutrient loading pathways from the watershed to the lake. Particular activities associated with land disturbance increase nutrient mobility and subsequent loading to Lake Tahoe. These activities are believed to be causal factors affecting the differential accural of periphyton biomass (Chl a ) along the shoreline.
Through a Glass Darkly: Reversing Tribal Intolerance and Aggression

As we witness tribalism’s dark shadow around the world, it is easy to surrender to pessimism. Ethnic division, terrorism, strike and counterstrike, a populism built on intolerance and division, and the oppression of women are all manifestations of tribalism and our tribal genetics. The question we all must ask is, “Are these waves of hatred and fear inevitable, or can they be contained or even reversed?” Tribalism, once evoked through fear conditioning and accelerated by leaders’ fear mongering, carries momentum that is difficult to reverse, so we can discard any simple optimism of “It’ll be okay.” More scary, if threat and loss increase due to terrorism or if economic losses become more significant, then the drivers of populism and its transition to fascism will only increase because tribalism will become a more powerful counterforce. Our ancestors required these powerful built-in mechanisms of collective consciousness to oppose threat and ensure survival of the group due to the omnipresent dangers of the early human existence.
Circular dichroism and ultraviolet resonance Raman indicate little Arg-Glu side chain α-helix peptide stabilization.

Electrostatic interactions between side chains can control the conformation and folding of peptides and proteins. We used circular dichroism (CD) and ultraviolet (UV) resonance Raman spectroscopy (UVRR) to examine the impact of side chain charge on the conformations of two 21 residue mainly polyala peptides with a few Arg and Glu residues. We expected that attractions between Arg-10 and Glu-14 side chains would stabilize the α-helix conformation compared to a peptide with an Arg-14. Surprisingly, CD suggests that the peptide with the Glu-14 is less helical. In contrast, the UVRR show that these two peptides have similar α-helix content. We conclude that the peptide with Glu-14 has the same net α-helix content as the peptide with the Arg but has two α-helices of shorter length. Thus, side chain interactions between Arg-10 and Glu-14 have a minor impact on α-helix stability. The thermal melting of these two peptides is similar. However the Glu-14 peptide pH induced melting forms type III turn structures tha...
EGFR mutation subtypes and response to immune checkpoint blockade treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer

Background Although EGFR mutant tumors exhibit low response rates to immune checkpoint blockade overall, some EGFR mutant tumors do respond to these therapies; however, there is a lack of understanding of the characteristics of EGFR mutant lung tumors responsive to immune checkpoint blockade.
Prognostic Significance of Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) at Baseline and After 4 Cycles of R-CHOP in 75 Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma Treated with Intensive Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem Cell Rescue.

Abstract 1226 Poster Board I-248 Background The value of FDG-PET in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has not been addressed in a homogeneous group of pts. The optimal initial therapy is controversial; however, intensified therapy followed by consolidation with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell rescue (HDT-ASCR) is associated with superior progression-free survival (PFS) compared to CHOP-based therapy. In this study, we examined the prognostic value of FDG-PET in a group of uniformly treated pts with upfront HDT-ASCR consolidation. The role of FDG-PET was evaluated: at baseline; as a predictor of proliferation index (PI); and as interim evaluation after induction therapy prior to HDT-ASCR. Pts and Methods Pts received sequential therapy consisting of sequential R-CHOP-14 × 4 followed by RICE x 2-3 cycles and consolidation with HDT-ASCR. FDG-PET and diagnostic CT imaging was obtained at baseline and after R-CHOP (N=75). The number of cycles of RICE was determined by the PET and CT response after induction with R-CHOP-14×4; pts with FDG-avid disease received a third cycle. Additional therapy was administered in 10 pts who had persistent FDG-avid disease after RICE with the objective of achieving the best response prior to the HDT-ASCR. Therapy included bortezomib in 7 cases and other treatment in 3 cases. The PI was determined by quantitative image analysis of Ki-67 stained slides (N=39). The median follow-up was 3.4 years. Results The median age was 59 years, 71% had bone marrow disease and 85% had stage 4 disease. According to the MIPI score, 50% had low-risk, 35% had intermediate-risk and 15% had high-risk disease. The baseline FDG-PET was positive in 71 pts (95%) and the median SUV was 5.5 (1.6-14). The baseline SUV was not prognostic after the stratification of the pts by the median SUV (PFS 81% vs 84% and overall survival (OS) 100% vs 74%, p=0.15). The median PI was 22% for the pts with an SUV below the median and 36% for the other group (P=0.03, Mann-Whitney). Interim FDG-PET evaluation after induction with R-CHOP-14 was available in 69 pts among the 71 with a positive test at baseline, the exam was negative in 49 pts (71%). A negative interim FDG-PET was associated with a better PFS (84% v 40% at 4years, p Conclusions In MCL, a baseline FDG-PET is useful as not all cases are positive. Though SUV correlates with the PI, the pretreatment SUV alone is not prognostic. Pts in PR by CT are separated by the FDG-PET result with negative pts having a superior outcome. The interim FDG-PET after induction with R-CHOP-14 × 4 is prognostic for PFS and OS in a program of sequential therapy with upfront consolidation with HDT/ASCR. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analysis of membrane permeability due to synergistic effect of controlled shock wave and electric field application.

Controlled shock wave has its application in drug delivery via induced membrane permeability. The magnitude of the impulse force to influence the membrane permeability can be abridged via communion...