cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 739: Tumor cell plasticity with transition to a mesenchymal phenotype is a mechanism of chemoresistance that is reversed by Notch pathway inhibition in lung adenocarcinoma

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, mainly due to complex genetic events that characterize lung cancer, tumor heterogeneity and resistance to traditional and targeted treatments. Resistance may be explained by passive clonal selectivity, however, the propensity and variability of resistance suggests an active process of tumor plasticity. We hypothesize that tumor cells undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition as a mechanism of resistance to chemotherapy. Results: The lung adenocarcinoma cell lines NCI-H1299, NCI-H358, and NCI-H441 were exposed to gradually increasing doses of docetaxel over 12-16 weeks. Chemoresistance emerged with a 10-15X increase in IC50 as compared to parental cells. With each treatment dose increase more than 50% of cells remained alive, suggesting bulk cell transformation. This resistance has been maintained for more than 20 generations after withdrawal of docetaxel. Morphologically, NCI-H358 and NCI-H441 chemoresistant cell lines lost their cobblestone architecture becoming more spindle-shaped. Using RT-PCR assays, there was increased expression of mesenchymal-related genes, vimentin (2.5-3.5X), twist (2-4X) and decreased expression of epithelial-related genes such as E-CAD (2-5X). Our previous data suggested that Notch activity plays a significant role in the EMT process, thus we evaluated Notch downstream genes expression by RT-PCR. We detected increase expression of Hey2 (2.5-3.5X), in NCI-H358 and NCI-H441 resistant cell lines as compared to parental cells. When chemoresistant cell lines were exposed to gamma secretase inhibitor, a Notch inhibitor, they became less invasive, epithelial-like and sensitive to docetaxel. Conclusion: These data suggest that tumor cell plasticity with transition to a mesenchymal phenotype is a mechanism of chemotherapy resistance that is controlled through the Notch pathway. Inhibiting Notch activity induces mesenchymal to epithelial transition and re-sensitizes cells to chemotherapy. Notch inhibition in combination with standard chemotherapy represents a potential approach to achieve better disease control. Citation Format: Khaled A. Hassan. Tumor cell plasticity with transition to a mesenchymal phenotype is a mechanism of chemoresistance that is reversed by Notch pathway inhibition in lung adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 739. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-739
Lithium monotherapy associated clinical improvement effects on amygdala-ventromedial prefrontal cortex resting state connectivity in bipolar disorder

Abstract Background This study, for the first time, investigated lithium monotherapy associated effects on amygdala- ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC) resting-state functional connectivity and correlation with clinical improvement in bipolar disorder (BP) Methods Thirty-six medication-free subjects − 24 BP (12 hypomanic BPM) and 12 depressed (BPD)) and 12 closely matched healthy controls (HC), were included. BP subjects were treated with lithium and scanned at baseline, after 2 weeks and 8 weeks. HC were scanned at same time points but were not treated. The effect of lithium was studied for the BP group as a whole using two way (group, time) ANOVA while regressing out effects of state. Next, correlation between changes in amygdala-vMPFC resting-state connectivity and clinical global impression (CGI) of severity and improvement scale scores for overall BP illness was calculated. An exploratory analysis was also conducted for the BPD and BPM subgroups separately. Results Group by time interaction revealed that lithium monotherapy in patients was associated with increase in amygdala-medial OFC connectivity after 8 weeks of treatment (p = 0.05 (cluster-wise corrected)) compared to repeat testing in healthy controls. Increased amygdala-vMPFC connectivity correlated with clinical improvement at week 2 and week 8 as measured with the CGI-I scale. Limitations The results pertain to open-label treatment and do not account for non-treatment related improvement effects. Only functional connectivity was measured which does not give information regarding one regions effect on the other. Conclusions Lithium monotherapy in BP is associated with modulation of amygdala-vMPFC connectivity which correlates with state-independent global clinical improvement.
Automating Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Quality Measure NHL78a.

PurposeQuality measurement and improvement is a focus of ASCO. In the era of electronic health records (EHRs), computerized order entry, and medication administration records, quality monitoring can be an automated process. The EHR data are usually stored within tables in a relational database management system. ASCO Quality Oncology Practice Initiative measure NHL78a (hepatitis B virus antigen test and hepatitis B core antibody test within 3 months before initiation of obinutuzumab, ofatumumab, or rituximab for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma) presents an opportunity for automation of a quality measure using existing data in the EHR.MethodsWe used a locally developed Structured Query Language (SQL) language procedure in the Microsoft SQL Query Manager to access the EPIC CLARITY database. Access to the relational database management system of the EHR permits rapid case identification (the denominator set) of the unique ID of all of the patients who have received one of the target medications (ie, obinu...
Internet Searches and Their Relationship to Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Background: Alzheimer disease (AD) is a very challenging experience for all those affected. Unfortunately, detection of Alzheimer disease in its early stages when clinical treatments may be most effective is challenging, as the clinical evaluations are time-consuming and costly. Recent studies have demonstrated a close relationship between cognitive function and everyday behavior, an avenue of research that holds great promise for the early detection of cognitive decline. One area of behavior that changes with cognitive decline is language use. Multiple groups have demonstrated a close relationship between cognitive function and vocabulary size, verbal fluency, and semantic ability, using conventional in-person cognitive testing. An alternative to this approach which is inherently ecologically valid may be to take advantage of automated computer monitoring software to continually capture and analyze language use while on the computer. Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between Internet searches as a measure of language and cognitive function in older adults. We hypothesize that individuals with poorer cognitive function will search using fewer unique terms, employ shorter words, and use less obscure words in their searches. Methods: Computer monitoring software (WorkTime, Nestersoft Inc) was used to continuously track the terms people entered while conducting searches in Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask.com. For all searches, punctuation, accents, and non-ASCII characters were removed, and the resulting search terms were spell-checked before any analysis. Cognitive function was evaluated as a z-normalized summary score capturing five unique cognitive domains. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between cognitive function and Internet searches by controlling for variables such as age, sex, and education. Results: Over a 6-month monitoring period, 42 participants (mean age 81 years [SD 10.5], 83% [35/42] female) conducted 2915 searches using these top search engines. Participants averaged 3.08 words per search (SD 1.6) and 5.77 letters per word (SD 2.2). Individuals with higher cognitive function used more unique terms per search (beta=.39, P=.002) and employed less common terms in their searches (beta=1.39, P=.02). Cognitive function was not significantly associated with the length of the words used in the searches. Conclusions: These results suggest that early decline in cognitive function may be detected from the terms people search for when they use the Internet. By continuously tracking basic aspects of Internet search terms, it may be possible to detect cognitive decline earlier than currently possible, thereby enabling proactive treatment and intervention. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(9):e307]
Formal Modeling and Performance Evaluation of Network’s Server Under SYN/TCP Attack

This paper describes the modeling of a network’s server under SYN/TCP attack, using Deterministic and Stochastic Petri Nets, which is a formalism allowing qualitative and quantitative analysis for the modeled system. This high level formalism allows also to cope with the complexity of such systems and to express the stationary performance indices as a function of Petri Net elements. The objective is thus to evaluate the unavailability of server during this attack, by computing probability of connection loss, and the impact of system parameters on this metric. Some other performance metrics, such as buffer occupancy of half-open connections for attack traffic and legitimate traffic and the mean number of legitimate SYN packet received, are also evaluated. By these results we show how the attack load severely degrade the performance of the network under attack, and the change of some system crucial parameters such as the buffer size and the holding time for half-open connections in order to guarantee the service availability, is effective only if the attack load is limited.
Heterogeneously catalyzed two-step cascade electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethanol

Abstract Electrochemical reduction of CO2 to liquid fuels is a promising route to a carbon-neutral, energy-dense storage of intermittent renewable electricity. However, electrocatalysts generally suffer from high overpotential and poor selectivity for multi-carbon products such as ethanol, and efforts to enhance such catalysts are limited by scaling relations which inhibit a simultaneous optimization of each elementary electrochemical step. In this work, the multistep proton-coupled electron-transfer reaction for the conversion of CO2 to C2H5OH was strategically divided into two independently optimized steps in a sequential cascade reaction using heterogeneous electrocatalysts to convert CO2 to CO and CO to C2H5OH within a single integrated electrochemical system. The exclusion of CO2 reactant from the second-stage electrolyzer was observed to be critical for maintaining appreciable ethanol selectivity. The cascade system produced C2H5OH at an overall faradaic efficiency of 11.0% at an average applied potential of −0.52 V vs. RHE, making it highly competitive with known single-step electrocatalysts for ethanol production from CO2. This performance was despite limited conversion of the intermediate CO between cascade steps (∼6.4%), and reactor design improvements to enhance the conversion could lead to significantly enhanced ethanol production performance.
An integrated fluid flow and fracture mechanics model for wellbore strengthening

Abstract Fracture-based wellbore strengthening techniques are preventive methods that can reduce the cost of lost circulation and non-productive time. The mud weight window can be extended by plugging fractures with wellbore strengthening materials (WSM) in the near-wellbore region. To maximize the strengthening effect, accurate fracture geometry prediction is of critical importance to the design of WSM. This paper presents a novel, coupled fluid flow and fracture mechanics model for wellbore strengthening applications that accounts for near-wellbore-induced fracture behavior. For fluid flow, mass conservation is considered and momentum conservation is examined; the latter shows that pressure loss with near-wellbore fracturing is low. Thus, we can neglect the pressure drop in the fractures and assume the fluid pressure inside the fractures is equal to the wellbore pressure. The pressure-width relationship (rock elastic deformation) and stress intensity factor are obtained by a dislocation-based approach. For the fracture propagation criterion, the calculated stress intensity factor is compared with fracture toughness at each time step. The stress intensity factor and fracture reopening pressure (FROP) are verified with Tada's model and Feng's model, respectively. Then, simulation results are compared with the large leak-off solutions of the Perkins-Kern-Nordgren (PKN) fracture model. The simulation results reveal that the PKN model overestimates the fracture mouth width, fracture length, and wellbore pressure. Furthermore, the simulation results of wellbore pressure show a different trend. Therefore, we cannot directly use the PKN model to design wellbore strengthening applications. The main reason is the presence of wellbore can generate near-wellbore effects that cannot be disregarded. Finally, we conduct a comprehensive parametric study (i.e., fracture toughness, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, horizontal stress ratio, and permeability) on wellbore strengthening fracturing. The proposed model is useful for wellbore strengthening applications using the intentionally induced fractures (i.e., near-wellbore fracturing). Particle size distribution (PSD) of WSM can be designed based on the simulated fracture geometry. No complex model mesh generation or assignment of boundary conditions are needed, which are commonly used in finite element simulation or other numerical methods. The proposed model can also be used to optimize wellbore strengthening operations by performing sensitivity analysis.
Introduction to the Session on Secondary and Transient Hyperammonemia

It has been accepted that hyperammonemia is not only restricted to inborn disorders of the urea cycle, but is found in a great variety of different clinical conditions.
Why Moral Expertise Needs Moral Theory

Discussions of the nature or possibility of moral expertise have largely proceeded in atheoretical terms, with little attention paid to whether moral expertise depends on theoretical knowledge of morality. Here I argue that moral expertise is more theory-dependent than is commonly recognized: Moral expertise consists, at least in part, in knowledge of the correct or best moral theory, and second, that knowledge of moral theory is essential to moral experts dispensing expert counsel to non-experts. Moral experts would not be moral experts absent knowledge of moral theory, nor could they play the testimonial role we would expect them to play in moral inquiry and deliberation absent such knowledge.
Pain-related anxiety and smoking processes: The explanatory role of dysphoria.

Abstract Scientific evidence suggests that pain-related anxiety may contribute to the maintenance of tobacco addiction among smokers with varying levels of pain. Yet, no work has investigated the relation between pain-related anxiety and cognitive-based smoking processes within an indirect effect model. Dysphoria may explain the relation between pain-related anxiety and cigarette smoking, as it is a construct that relates to both pain and smoking outcomes. Thus, the current cross-sectional study examined the indirect effect of pain-related anxiety and three clinically significant smoking processes: perceived barriers to cessation, negative affect reduction motives, and negative mood abstinence expectancies via dysphoria. Participants included 101 (Mage = 32.74 years, SD = 13.60; 35.6% female) adult tobacco cigarette smokers with low cigarette dependence. Results indicated that pain-related anxiety had an indirect effect on all dependent variables through dysphoria. The current findings provide evidence that dysphoria may serve to maintain maladaptive smoking processes in smokers who experience pain-related anxiety. This study furthers research on pain-smoking relations by providing initial evidence for a conceptual model in which smokers with elevated pain-related anxiety endorse greater dysphoric symptoms and use smoking to reduce or escape symptoms of their pain-related anxiety and dysphoria, thus contributing to the maintenance of tobacco dependence.
New Directions of Nanoelectronics Research for Computing

Nanoelectronics research has generated a wide range of materials and devices with unique characteristics that can be utilized in novel computing solutions, from low power switches for replacing or augmenting CMOS to the enabling technologies for unconventional paradigms of computing. Based on a brief review of recently funded programs in Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), this paper discusses new directions of nanoelectronics research that may have profound impact on computing.
Term Limits and Turmoil: Roe v. Wade's Whiplash

A fixed eighteen-year term for Supreme Court Justices has become a popular proposal with both academics and the general public as a possible solution to the countermajoritarian difficulty and as a means for depoliticizing the confirmation process. While scholars have extensively examined the potential benefits of term limits, the potential costs have been underexplored. We focus on one cost: the possible effects of term limits on doctrinal stability. Using seven statistical models that measure potential fluctuation in Supreme Court support for Roe v. Wade had the Court been operating under term limits since 1973, we explore the level of constitutional instability that a term limit system would engender. Our models incorporate varying degrees of each new Justice’s loyalty to the nominating president’s ideology and deference to precedent, as well as accounting for the Senate’s level of influence on the confirmation process under conditions including the elimination of the filibuster. The results suggest that term limits could fundamentally change the way that the law evolves and might well lead to a substantial loss in doctrinal stability.
Associations of inflammation with frailty in patients with breast cancer aged 50 and over receiving chemotherapy

Abstract Purpose Chronic inflammation is a significant physiologic feature of frailty; however, its role and clinical utility in cancer-related frailty remains unknown. We sought to determine if pre-chemotherapy inflammation is predictive of frailty after chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Methods Female patients (N = 144; age ≥ 50) with stage I-III breast cancer scheduled to receive chemotherapy and age-matched non-cancer controls (N = 142) were included in this secondary analysis and assessed pre- and post-chemotherapy. Controls were assessed at equivalent time-points. Frailty was assessed using a modified Fried's score (0–4) using self-reported measures of weakness, exhaustion, walking speed, and physical activity. Serum levels of interleukin (IL) 6, and soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha (sTNFR) I and II were measured. Associations between pre-chemotherapy cytokine and receptors level (median as cutoff) and post-chemotherapy frailty were evaluated using t-tests. Results Pre-chemotherapy, patients with breast cancer were more frail than non-cancer controls (mean score: 1.17 vs 0.65; p Conclusions Both cancer and chemotherapy were associated with frailty. Higher pre-chemotherapy inflammatory cytokine levels were associated with post-chemotherapy frailty. This supports the utility of inflammatory cytokines to identify patients who develop worsening of frailty characteristics with chemotherapy.
Dallas Mega Shelter Onsite Medical Operations Supporting Evacuee Functional Independence and Family Unit Integrity During Response to Hurricane Harvey

Introduction:In the United States, over 50% of people have at least one chronic medical condition, access, or functional limitation. In 2017 during Hurricane Harvey, the establishment of a comprehensive multidisciplinary onsite medical clinic provided health and medical services to over 3,800 evacuees at the Dallas Mega Shelter, providing large-scale general population sheltering support to all evacuees and prioritizing family unit integrity by meeting physical, sensory, and cognitive limitations, and chronic medical conditions. The effectiveness of the Dallas Mega Shelter onsite medical operations supporting this aim is reviewed.Aim:To utilize onsite health and medical resources to meet access and functional needs of evacuees seeking general population mass sheltering in Dallas, Texas during Hurricane Harvey.Methods:Observational.Results:Over 3,800 evacuees were evaluated for functional needs support services (FNSS) resulting in over 2,500 evacuee patient encounters during 21 continuous days of onsite health and medical clinic operations.1 A comprehensive array of services were available at no cost to the evacuees and were in accordance with the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) published Guidance on Planning for Integration of Functional Needs Support Service in General Population Shelters.2 The goal to maintain nearly all evacuees choosing to stay in the Mega Shelter was achieved. The challenges, limitations, and risks identified are reviewed.Discussion:FNSS guidelines require all persons, regardless of limitations, when evacuated from home be provided all services necessary to allow them to remain in general population sheltering.2 This prioritization of personal choice, functional independence, and family integrity for those with comprehensive FNSS requirements presented notable challenges, including public health and safety risks impacting the wellbeing of others. Meeting these expectations must be balanced with maintaining shelter integrity.
An intensely luminescent polymeric lanthanide chelator for multiple fluorescence labeling of biomolecules

Abstract A new bifunctional chelating agent has been synthesized and used to prepare a stable, intensely luminescent polymer, PLCS-Eu(III), with an extinction coefficient of 10 +6 (M-cm) −1 , a very large stokes shift (Ex 337, Em 617nm), a 5nm emission bandwidth and a quantum yield of 0.6. The PLCS-Eu(III) complex was found stable towards EDTA and prolonged irradiation. It was coupled, as a coating, upon 3μm beads which in turn were coupled to oligonucleotides, for use in a nucleic acid sandwich assay. Its millisecond emission lifetime will allow it to be used for time resolved fluorescence detection. PLCS-Eu(III), a novel chelator, may be a useful new tool for array based studies of biopolymer interactions.
Kinetic Activation-Relaxation Technique and Self-Evolving Atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo: Comparison of on-the-fly kinetic Monte Carlo algorithms

We present a comparison of the Kinetic Activation–Relaxation Technique (k-ART) and the Self-Evolving Atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo (SEAKMC), two off-lattice, on-the-fly Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) techniques that were recently used to solve several materials science problems. We show that if the initial displacements are localized the dimer method and the Activation–Relaxation Technique nouveau provide similar performance. We also show that k-ART and SEAKMC, although based on different approximations, are in agreement with each other, as demonstrated by the examples of 50 vacancies in a 1950-atom Fe box and of interstitial loops in 16,000-atom boxes. Generally speaking, k-ART’s treatment of geometry and flickers is more flexible, e.g. it can handle amorphous systems, and rigorous than SEAKMC’s, while the later’s concept of active volumes permits a significant speedup of simulations for the systems under consideration and therefore allows investigations of processes requiring large systems that are not accessible if not localizing calculations.
The Union of Law and Equity

From the colonial era to the present day, a number of jurisdictions in the United States have purported to fuse the disparate systems of common law and equity. This chapter focuses on the intellectual history of fusion from the 1848 Field Code to the 1938 Federal Rules. The New York corporate lawyer David Dudley Field and his fellow codifiers sought to replace the distinction between law and equity as the fundamental organizing principle of the law with the distinction between substance and procedure. They believed most of the distinction between law and equity inhered in institutions and procedures and would therefore disappear the moment a statute erected a single court with uniform proceedings. Their vision was shared by the architects of the federal procedure code a generation later. In practice, however, fusion remained far less complete than Field predicted or American lawyers commonly believe. The essay illustrates the dramatic fissions that remained in Field’s own post-fusion practice in 1870s New York.
Basic science research in postgraduate surgical training: Difficulties encountered by clinical scientists

Abstract Background. Clinical training of physicians and surgeons involves teaching students and residents both the science and the art of medicine. The science of medicine involves clinical skills honed through reading textbooks and journals and experience in diagnosing and treating myriad diseases. The art of medicine involves the important communication skills necessary for a good doctor—patient relationship. A third aspect of training, basic science research, is frequently de‐emphasized or omitted entirely. In general, training programs frequently do not allow protected time in a laboratory setting for the resident. The few weeks to months that some programs allow is insufficient to establish a thorough understanding of scientific method. Methods, Results. The article describes the introduction of one of the authors from a clinically oriented training background into the laboratory and outlines the pitfalls frequently encountered when a clinician embarks on basic science research training. Conclusion....
Mental Health Recovery: The Effectiveness of Peer Services in the Community.

Peer recovery services are a community-based treatment option for people suffering from mental illness and/or substance use problems. Peer services provide an alternative to inpatient care and can help decrease costs associated with hospitalization or incarceration of the mentally ill. Yet, scant research has explored the effect of these services, particularly in rural communities. The current study assesses the impact of peer services on peer mentees’ and mentors’ recovery capital, quality of life, and general wellness. Consumers of peer services completed three surveys every three months for approximately 18 months. Quantitative analyses demonstrated that subjects had a marginal change in their recovery capital, but quality of life and general wellness were unaffected. Peer providers’ experiences were also explored through interviews. Qualitative analyses revealed that providers have a positive outlook regarding peer services but would benefit from greater resources and additional training. Policy and community implications are also discussed.
A Psychiatrist’s Life Journey Through Anti-Semitism

This chapter utilizes autobiographical storytelling to share my personal journey through life and anti-Semitism. It covers eight decades of my experiences with those who detest Jews, from my life as a child of Yiddish-speaking immigrants through my schooling, medical education, psychiatric training, practice, and academia. I look back at my family and remarkable changes in society over the years, but the anti-Semitism I witnessed years ago is back with a vengeance: “Deja vu” (as we say), or “Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose.” (“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”)
Development of machine learning and natural language processing algorithms for preoperative prediction and automated identification of intraoperative vascular injury in anterior lumbar spine surgery.

Abstract BACKGROUND Intraoperative vascular injury (VI) may be an unavoidable complication of anterior lumbar spine surgery; however, vascular injury has implications for quality and safety reporting as this intraoperative complication may result in serious bleeding, thrombosis, and postoperative stricture. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to (1) develop machine learning algorithms for preoperative prediction of VI and (2) develop natural language processing (NLP) algorithms for automated surveillance of intraoperative VI from free-text operative notes. PATIENT SAMPLE Adult patients, 18 years or age or older, undergoing anterior lumbar spine surgery at two academic and three community medical centers were included in this analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was unintended VI during anterior lumbar spine surgery. METHODS Manual review of free-text operative notes was used to identify patients who had unintended VI. The available population was split into training and testing cohorts. Five machine learning algorithms were developed for preoperative prediction of VI. An NLP algorithm was trained for automated detection of intraoperative VI from free-text operative notes. Performance of the NLP algorithm was compared to current procedural terminology and international classification of diseases codes. RESULTS In all, 1035 patients underwent anterior lumbar spine surgery and the rate of intraoperative VI was 7.2% (n=75). Variables used for preoperative prediction of VI were age, male sex, body mass index, diabetes, L4-L5 exposure, and surgery for infection (discitis, osteomyelitis). The best performing machine learning algorithm achieved c-statistic of 0.73 for preoperative prediction of VI ( https://sorg-apps.shinyapps.io/lumbar_vascular_injury/ ). For automated detection of intraoperative VI from free-text notes, the NLP algorithm achieved c-statistic of 0.92. The NLP algorithm identified 18 of the 21 patients (sensitivity 0.86) who had a VI whereas current procedural terminologyand international classification of diseases codes identified 6 of the 21 (sensitivity 0.29) patients. At this threshold, the NLP algorithm had a specificity of 0.93, negative predictive value of 0.99, positive predictive value of 0.51, and F1-score of 0.64. CONCLUSION Relying on administrative procedural and diagnosis codes may underestimate the rate of unintended intraoperative VI in anterior lumbar spine surgery. External and prospective validation of the algorithms presented here may improve quality and safety reporting.
QuickWalk: Quick Trust Assessment for Vehicular Social Networks

To avoid transmitting untrustworthy information within a vehicular network, we propose a quick trust assessment algorithm, called QuickWalk, to evaluate the trust relation between any pair of vehicles in the network. Leveraging on the trust evaluation results, vehicles will only receive and process information from trustworthy peers. The key of this solution is to construct a vehicular social network (VSN) in which vehicles connect and communicate with each other, in the form of sharing/exchanging information. As such, the trust relation between an information provider and a consumer can be modeled and computed from their social connections. The QuickWalk algorithm is designed based on the three-valued subjective logic trust model, and is able to offer a faster trust evaluation within a VSN. Simulation results not only validate the correctness of the QuickWalk algorithm but also confirm that QuickWalk outperforms the state-of-the-art solution, by offering a smaller execution time while assessing vehicles' trust in a VSN.
The psychological impact of surrogacy on the families of gestational surrogates: implications for clinical practice.

To examine the psychological impact of gestational surrogacy on surrogates’ families. ASRM practice committee guidelines recommend that psychological counseling prior to surrogacy include considera...
An enhanced recovery after surgery pathway in pediatric colorectal surgery improves patient outcomes.

Abstract Introduction Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways in adult colorectal surgery are known to reduce complications, readmissions, and length of stay (LOS). However, there is a paucity of ERAS data for pediatric colorectal surgery. Methods A 2014–2018 single-institution, retrospective cohort study was performed on pediatric colorectal surgery patients (2–18 years) pre- and post-ERAS pathway implementation. Bivariate analysis and linear regression were used to determine if ERAS pathway implementation reduced total morphine milligram equivalents per kilogram (MME/kg), LOS, and time to oral intake. Results 98 (70.5%) and 41 (29.5%) patients were managed with ERAS and non-ERAS pathways, respectively. There was no statistical difference in age, sex, diagnosis, or use of laparoscopic technique between cohorts. The ERAS cohort experienced a significant reduction in total MME/kg, Foley duration, time to oral intake, and LOS with no increase in complications. The presence of an ERAS pathway reduced the total MME/kg (− 0.071, 95% CI − 0.10, − 0.043) when controlling for covariates. Conclusion The use of an ERAS pathway reduces opioid utilization, which is associated with a reduction in LOS and expedites the initiation of oral intake, in colorectal pediatric surgery patients. Pediatric ERAS pathways should be incorporated into the care of pediatric patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Level of evidence Level III evidence. Type of study Retrospective cohort study.
Using magnetoencephalography to examine word recognition, lateralization, and future language skills in 14-month-old infants

Abstract Word learning is a significant milestone in language acquisition. The second year of life marks a period of dramatic advances in infants’ expressive and receptive word-processing abilities. Studies show that in adulthood, language processing is left-hemisphere dominant. However, adults learning a second language activate right-hemisphere brain functions. In infancy, acquisition of a first language involves recruitment of bilateral brain networks, and strong left-hemisphere dominance emerges by the third year. In the current study we focus on 14-month-old infants in the earliest stages of word learning using infant magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain imagining to characterize neural activity in response to familiar and unfamiliar words. Specifically, we examine the relationship between right-hemisphere brain responses and prospective measures of vocabulary growth. As expected, MEG source modeling revealed a broadly distributed network in frontal, temporal and parietal cortex that distinguished word classes between 150–900 ms after word onset. Importantly, brain activity in the right frontal cortex in response to familiar words was highly correlated with vocabulary growth at 18, 21, 24, and 27 months. Specifically, higher activation to familiar words in the 150–300 ms interval was associated with faster vocabulary growth, reflecting processing efficiency, whereas higher activation to familiar words in the 600–900 ms interval was associated with slower vocabulary growth, reflecting cognitive effort. These findings inform research and theory on the involvement of right frontal cortex in specific cognitive processes and individual differences related to attention that may play an important role in the development of left-lateralized word processing.
Reducing Risk: A Continuous Improvement Approach to Reducing Medication Lateness for Respiratory Therapists

Background: The importance of safe medication delivery is paramount. Although medication lateness is mentioned in medical literature, there is no standard available for benchmarking. In addition, benchmark data for Respiratory Care (RC) is non-existent. In recent years, the focus has been on information technology systems to avoid medication errors (ME). Safeguards like dose-error-reduction systems, barcode scanners, and independent double checks help to reduce some avoidable ME, but errors still exist when the medications are not delivered timely. According to recent data, a third of all ME causing patient harm, occur in the medication preparation and administration phases.1 We aimed to develop a baseline for medication lateness (ML) in our RC department and develop a plan for continued monitoring and improvement. Methods: IRB approval was obtained, and medication administration data was obtained for 2017 (baseline data) in our pediatric hospital system. All aerosolized medications on inpatient units were included. ML was defined as a medication administered more than 60 minutes after the scheduled time. Data was analyzed and reported to the RC staff for all months of 2018. Throughout the year, education on appropriate re-timing of medications, expected timeliness of delivery, and a trial of certain twice-daily medications on units was performed. Feedback from Respiratory Therapists (RTs) and pharmacy staff were solicited, and an and-on tracker was utilized to document barriers to timely medication delivery at twice-daily department huddles. Results: The baseline ML for 2017 was 4.04%, and the mean for 2018 was 3.34%. Increases in ML were associated with twice-daily administration times and with pentamidine delivery. No correlations between RT staffing, assignments, or medication type were substantiated. Adding twice-daily medications to automated dispensing cabinets for availability directly at the point of care did not improve medication lateness. Conclusions: Timeliness of medication delivery is an essential metric for RC departments to monitor that directly impacts patient safety and satisfaction. By utilizing a model of open communication, awareness, and soliciting feedback, we were able to improve overall ML in our department by over 20%. Further research must be done to establish benchmarks and implications for the field of RC. Reference: Smeulers M et al. Quality indicators for safe medication preparation and administration. PLos One 2015;10(4):e0122695. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122695.
Two systems of youth service: Determinants of voluntary and required youth community service.

Although an increasing number of schools mandate service, this requirement is seen by some as self-contradictory, especially in contrast to voluntary service. Looking closely at the service process, we argue that the categories of required and voluntary, do not in themselves convey the nature of service students might do with implications for the benefits they may derive from service. We report data from students in 2 high schools to support our case. Both schools required service, but one integrated it into the curriculum whereas the other left choice of service to individual students. Students in the former school were more apt to do the kinds of service that engage students cognitively and emotionally and involve them in reflection on politics and morals. Apart from fulfilling their requirement, many of the students also did volunteer service of the kinds that were potentially beneficial. These students were likely to have parents and best friends who also did service and to belong to churches and civic organizations that sponsored or encouraged service as part of an ideological commitment. The data support the idea that required and volunteer service can be usefully viewed as operating according to separate regimens. Nevertheless, both have the potential for yielding benefits when service is viewed as providing youth with opportunities to learn about systems of meaning through participatory action. From the viewpoint of educational policy, schools can help students most when they organize service strategically and integrate service into the academic curriculum.
Impact of the Environment on Asthma Control

Asthma is a complex condition that requires individualized interventions. The purpose of this article is to describe the relationship between the physical and social environments with asthma symptoms, present evidence that supports environmental interventions in asthma control and the implications for asthma management. There is evidence that indoor and outdoor allergens relate to asthma morbidity. Knowledge about which environmental exposures present risk is essential because many of these exposures can be modified, reduced, or eliminated. The community health nurse should provide care relative to the client's indoor and outdoor environment and existing allergens.
Forum: On the History of Communication Studies

A recent Forum in the Quarterly Journal of Speech (92, no. 1) featured commentary by Michael Leff, Steven Mailloux, and James Arnt Aune on the intersections of rhetorical studies in composition, co...
Engulfment‐regulated proteolysis of SpoIIQ: evidence that dual checkpoints control σK activity

During Bacillus subtilis sporulation, the engulfment checkpoint is thought to directly regulate late forespore transcription but to indirectly regulate late mother cell transcription, via the sigmaG-produced protease SpoIVB. We here demonstrate that SpoIIQ is subject to sigmaG-independent, but engulfment-dependent, proteolysis that depends on SpoIVB. Thus, SpoIVB produced before engulfment supports some SpoIVB-dependent events, suggesting that its activity or access to substrates must be regulated by engulfment. Furthermore, a mutation (bofA) that allows sigmaK to be active without sigmaG does not allow sigmaK activity in engulfment mutants, although the pro-sigmaK processing enzyme (SpoIVFB) is localized to the septum in engulfment mutants, suggesting that engulfment comprises a second checkpoint for sigmaK Finally, we find that SpoIIQ and another protein required for sigmaG activity (SpoIIIAH), which directly interact and assemble helical structures around the forespore, recruit the sigmaK-processing enzyme SpoIVFB to the forespore and these structures. We suggest that these foci serve a synapse-like role, allowing engulfment to simultaneously control both sigmaG and sigmaK, and integrating multiple checkpoints and signalling pathways.
Learning Disability: 10-Year Follow-up

A 10-year follow-up of 114 learning-disabled students has been conducted, gathering information on their academic achievement, social success, and job satisfaction. These students have been compared with 144 siblings without learning disabilities. Significantly lower levels of school attainment, academic success, and social success are found for the learning-disabled group. No difference is found in level of job satisfaction. Significant positive factors contributing to school success in the learning-disabled group were high IQ, less severe learning disability, positive personality characteristics in the child, effective family function, strong family support, high occupational level of family breadwinner, and high education level attained by the mother. Negative factors are a more severe degree of learning disability, the presence of hyperactivity, and a concomitant disability in mathematics.
Dancing in the Dark: Ticketmaster's response to its Bruce Springsteen ticket crisis

Abstract Ticketmaster was presented with a crisis on February 2, 2009, when some fans trying to purchase tickets online to Bruce Springsteen concerts were redirected to Ticketmaster-owned secondary ticket distribution website, TicketsNow, and erroneously purchased tickets at a higher price than the original ticket price. The purpose of this research-in-brief is to compare Ticketmaster's response to the theories of crisis management presented in the public relations literature.
Thrombin‐induced prostacyclin biosynthesis in human endothelium: Role of guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins in stimulus/coupling responses

The regulation of prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis by cultured human umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC) was investigated. HUVEC monolayer generation of PGI2 was monitored by RIA of 6-keto PGF1 alpha and dose-dependent increases observed with human alpha- and gamma-thrombins, histamine, or arachidonate. Alpha thrombin (10 nM) produced levels of 6-keto PGF1 alpha approximating responses with 1 microM gamma-thrombin, 5 microM arachidonate, or 10 microM histamine. Diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate-inactivated alpha-thrombin did not stimulate PGI2 release, demonstrating that catalytic activity was required for thrombin-stimulated PGI2 release. Sodium fluoride (NaF), at concentrations known to activate guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins (G proteins), directly stimulated HUVEC PGI2 synthesis in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner (20 mM NaF, 4.4 +/- 0.5-fold increase at 10 min, 11.9 +/- 1.5-fold increase at 30 min). Neither alpha-thrombin nor NaF-stimulated PGI2 release was dependent upon the availability of extracellular Ca++). The hypothesis that G proteins are involved in agonist-stimulated PGI2 synthesis was further supported by studies using digitonin-permeabilized HUVEC monolayers challenged with another G protein activator, guanosine 5'-0-3-thiotrisphosphate (GTP gamma S), which effected significant dose-dependent increases in PGI2 synthesis compared with control levels of 6-keto PGF1 alpha. In contrast, the G-protein inhibitor GDP beta S, (guanosine 5'-0-2-thiodiphosphate), attenuated alpha-thrombin-mediated prostaglandin generation. Treatment of HUVEC monolayers with pertussis toxin (1 microgram/ml) did not inhibit the PGI2 synthesis stimulated by either alpha-thrombin, NaF, or histamine but catalyzed the ADP ribosylation of a 40 kDa membrane protein which cross-reacted with antisera against a synthetic peptide corresponding to an amino acid sequence common to the alpha-subunit of other G-proteins. Preincubation of HUVEC microsomal membranes with alpha-thrombin diminished pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP ribosylation in a time-dependent manner. These data suggest that thrombin stimulation of PGI2 synthesis by HUVEC monolayers requires the catalytically functional enzyme and further suggests that the thrombin-occupied receptor is coupled to phospholipase activities by a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide regulatory protein in human endothelial cell membranes.
Variables affecting mediation in children’s verbal-motor paired-associate learning

Fourth-grade children learned both names and motor responses for random shapes in a paired-associate learning task. Two levels of name similarity and two levels of stimulus similarity were combined in a 2 by 2 factorial design. The hypothesized development of mediated verbal-motor associations was assessed in terms of consistency in verbal-motor responding. Significant evidence of mediation was obtained in all experimental groups, and the relative strength of the mediational effect among groups was as follows: DD (dissimilar stimuli, dissimilar names) = SD (similar stimuli, dissimilar names) >SS (similar stimuli, similar names) >DS (dissimilar stimuli, similar names). The results were discussed in terms of the possible effects of the variables on the tendency to adopt a rehearsal strategy.
Remote optical control of an optical flip-flop

We experimentally demonstrate control of a holding-beam-enabled optical flip-flop by means of optical signals that act in a remote fashion. These optical-control signals vary the holding-beam power by means of cross-gain modulation within a remotely located semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The power-modulated holding beam then travels through a resonant-type SOA, where flip-flop action occurs as the holding-beam power falls above and below the switching thresholds of the bistable hysteresis. Control is demonstrated using submilliwatt pulses whose wavelengths are not restricted to the vicinity of the holding beam. Benefits of remote control include the potential for controlling multiple flip-flops with a single pair of optical signals and for realizing all-optical control of any holding-beam-enabled flip-flop.
Etnografia renovável: seixos etnográficos e labirintos no caminho da teoria

Anthropology in the 1990s has actively engaged with science studies, as in the 1980s it engaged with feminism, media studies, cultural studies, and postcolonial studies. Cultural vocabularies and social understandings of today's worlds increasingly draw from the new life sciences and information sciences. The openness of ethnographically-empirically grounded cultural analyses to the historical moments in which they are put to work makes them capable, like experimental systems in science, of creating new epistemic things. Six dissertations and five approaches to pedagogy for first (dissertation) fieldwork are reviewed.