cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visualizing Interiors: The Language of Movement in the 2005 Film Pride & Prejudice

One of the distinguishing features of the 2005 cinematic adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is its dynamic quality of character and camera movement. The dynamism of movements within doors challenges the dialectic of immobility/mobility and indoor/outdoor that characterizes analysis of movement and space in previous adaptations of Jane Austen. In the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice, activities as simple as walking through the house or circling on the dance floor constitute a kinesthetic language for making interior spaces visible in temporal and spatial terms. Instead of inferring Elizabeth Bennet's desires, we see them actualized in the same way that domestic life is constructed in the Bennet home—through repetitive and circular movements that straddle the divide between the concrete and the abstract. Mining the creative tension between physical movement and narrative movement, the film shows how interiority is a product of the material and relational conditions of everyday life. Hence my examination of movement does not simply bring attention to an everyday reality foregrounded in the film but makes visible the sense of process or becoming that is essential to the notion of the everyday.
Vertebroplasty versus kyphoplasty: a comparison and contrast.

The phrase “vertebroplasty versus kyphoplasty” evokes images of competitive procedures and groups of entrenched physicians locked in battle. Our involvement in the development and introduction of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) and kyphoplasty (KP) in the United States has given us a unique
Abnormal cervicovaginal smears due to endometriosis: a continuing problem.

Endometriosis may be challenging when identified on cervicovaginal smears (CVS), leading to an incorrect interpretation of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), or atypical glandular cells of undetermined significance (AGUS) including adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). Awareness of cervical endometriosis, particularly in predisposed patients, is crucial for a correct diagnosis. While cervical endometriosis has been reported to be a diagnostic pitfall of glandular abnormalities, its characteristic features are still not well-established. This may partially be attributed to the varied cytomorphologic features endometriosis shows, depending on menstrual cycle hormonal changes. We describe our experience with three examples where CVS were interpreted as either AGUS or HSIL, which led to a hysterectomy in 2 of 3 patients. Cervical endometriosis needs to be considered with other well-known benign conditions that mimic glandular abnormalities, including cervicitis, tubal metaplasia, lower uterine segment sampling, and microglandular hyperplasia. Published series and our own experience lead us to suggest that these smears will continue to present diagnostic difficulties.
The evolution of gene therapy in X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency

Objectives To review the evolution of gene therapy in infants with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (XL-SCID) and to evaluate the current challenges facing this evolving field. Data Sources The MEDLINE, OVID, CINAHL, and HealthSTAR databases were searched to identify pertinent articles using the following keywords: gene therapy, XL-SCID, bone marrow transplant, and viral vectors . Study Selection Journal articles were selected for their relevance to human gene therapy in patients with XL-SCID. Results Gene therapy with a retrovirus-derived vector has been used to treat 20 patients with XL-SCID internationally. Although most patients derived improvements in T- and B-cell immune numbers and function, severe adverse effects have occurred. After gene therapy, 5 of the 20 patients developed leukemia. This outcome has been associated with insertion of the corrected gene near the T-cell proto-oncogene LMO2 . One of the 5 patients subsequently died. Conclusions Within the past decade, effective improvements in vectorology and cell culture conditions have resulted in clinical success in some infants with SCID and have revived interest after many years of setbacks. However, clinical success and significant adverse events have been reported in patients with XL-SCID who have undergone gene therapy using a retroviral vector. As extensive research into improving safety through vector development and monitoring of gene therapy continues, further progress in gene therapy development can be anticipated.
Evaluation of two progestogen-based estrous synchronization protocols in yearling heifers of Bos indicus Bos taurus breeding

Yearling Bos indicus Bos taurus heifers (n 410) from three locations, were synchronized with either the Select Synch/CIDRtimed-AI (SSCTAI) or 7-11timed-AI (7-11TAI) treatments. On Day 0 of the experiment, within each location, heifers were equally distributed to treatments by reproductive tract score (RTS; Scale 1–5: 1 immature, 5 estrous cycling) and body condition score. The 7-11TAI treatment consisted of melengestrol acetate (0.5 mg/head/d) from Days 0 to 7, with PGF2 (25 mg im) on Day 7, GnRH (100 g im) on Day 11, and PGF2 (25 mg im) on Day 18. The SSCTAI heifers received the same carrier supplement (without MGA) from Days 0 to 7, and on Day 11 they were given 100 g GnRH and an intravaginal CIDR (containing 1.38 g progesterone). The CIDR were removed on Day 18, concurrent with 25 mg PGF2 im For both treatments, estrus was visually detected for 1 h twice daily (0700 and 1600 h) for 72 h after PGF2, with AI done 6 to 12 h after a detected estrus. Non-responders were timed-AI and received GnRH (100 g im) 72 to 76 h post PGF2. The 7-11TAI heifers had a greater (P 0.05) estrous response (55.2 vs 41.9%), conception rate (47.0 vs 31.3%), and synchronized pregnancy rate (33.5 vs 24.8%) compared to SSCTAI heifers, respectively. Heifers exhibiting estrus at 60 h (61.7%) had a greater (P 0.05) conception rate compared to heifers that exhibited estrus at 36 (35.3%), 48 (31.6%), and 72 h (36.2%), which were similar (P 0.05) to each other. As RTS increased from 2t o 3, estrous response, conception rate, synchronized pregnancy rate, and 30 d pregnancy rate all increased (P 0.05), irrespective of synchronization treatment. In conclusion, the 7–11TAI treatment yielded greater synchronized pregnancy rates compared to SSCTAI treatment in yearling Bos indicus Bos taurus heifers.
Aerobically Incubated Thioglycolate Broth Disk Method for Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Anaerobes

The anaerobic broth disk (AnBD) method of Wilkins and Thiel and a new modification, designated the thioglycolate broth disk method, were compared with an agar dilution technique. The thioglycolate broth disk method was incubated aerobically (AeTBD) or anaerobically (AnTBD). One hundred anaerobic bacteria representing 15 species were tested with clindamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, penicillin, and tetracycline. Agreement of results by the two methods with minimal inhibitory concentration determinations were: AnBD, 95.2%; AnTBD, 91.5%; AeTBD, 94.5%. With clindamycin, chloramphenicol, and penicillin, the agreement of the AeTBD and agar dilution results was 100%, 100%, and 95%, respectively. Using the AeTBD method, only 1.1% of all tests gave false susceptible readings, whereas 4.4% gave false resistant readings. All susceptibility testing errors occurred with tetracycline, erythromycin, and, to a lesser extent, penicillin. For each method, the changes in designation of bacteria as being susceptible or resistant to an antibiotic between trials primarily involved strains with minimal inhibitory concentrations which were +/- one dilution of the respective breakpoint value. The same situation was true for most bacteria that yielded false resistant readings within each trial. False resistant readings with tetracycline were determined to be unrelated to excess cation content of test media. These results reaffirm the reliability of the AnBD method and indicate that the AeTBD modification is equally reliable. The greater convenience and lower cost of the AeTBD method should make possible more widespread performance of susceptibility testing for anaerobic bacteria in hospital laboratories.
The role of clock genes in cardiometabolic disease

almost all organisms ranging from single cell bacteria to humans, exhibit a variety of behavioral, metabolic, and physiological circadian rhythms ([5][1], [9][2], [12][3]). The presence of a molecular clock within the cells of both central and peripheral tissues provides the necessary timekeeping
Ultralow power continuous-wave frequency conversion in hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides

We demonstrate wavelength conversion through nonlinear parametric processes in hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) with maximum conversion efficiency of −13 dB at telecommunication data rates (10 GHz) using only 15 mW of pump peak power. Conversion bandwidths as large as 150 nm (20 THz) are measured in continuous-wave regime at telecommunication wavelengths. The nonlinear refractive index of the material is determined by four-wave mixing (FWM) to be n2=7.43×10−13 cm2/W, approximately an order of magnitude larger than that of single crystal silicon.
The genetic characterization of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis based on the 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer regions

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis, a plant pathogen being considered as a biological control agent of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), produces tagetitoxin, an inhibitor of RNA polymerase which results in chlorosis of developing shoot tissues. Although the bacterium is known to aVect several plant species in the Asteraceae and has been reported in several countries, little is known of its genetic diversity. The genetic relatedness of 24 strains of P. syringae pv. tagetis with respect to each other and to other P. syringae and Pseudomonas savastanoi pathovars was examined using 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer (ITS) sequence analysis. The size of the 16S–23S rDNA ITS regions ranged from 508 to 548 bp in length for all 17 P. syringae and P. savastanoi pathovars examined. The size of the 16S–23S rDNA ITS regions for all the P. syringae pv. helianthi and all the P. syringae pv. tagetis strains examined were 526 bp in length. Furthermore, the 16S–23S rDNA ITS regions of both P. syringae pv. tagetis and P. syringae pv. helianthi had DNA signatures at speciWc nucleotides that distinguished them from the 15 other P. syringae and P. savastanoi pathovars examined. These results provide strong evidence that P. syringae pv. helianthi is a nontoxigenic form of P. syringae pv. tagetis. The results also demonstrated that there is little genetic diversity among the known strains of P. syringae pv. tagetis. The genetic diVerences that do exist were not correlated with diVerences in host plant, geographical origin, or the ability to produce toxin. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Survey of hybrid fuzzy neural approaches to electric load forecasting

Economically efficient operation of electric power systems necessitates close tracking of the overall load by the system generation at all times. A wide range of methodologies and models have been developed over the years to predict the future load with reasonable accuracy and reliability. Several research groups have studied the use of artificial neural networks for this application and reported superior results compared to the conventional approaches. Application of fuzzy systems has also been proposed to include imprecise and probabilistic information in the input data. Synthesis of these two complementary technologies has emerged as a highly promising approach for electric load forecasting. This paper aims to provide an overview of the published literature on this topic, highlighting common features and drawing out some important aspects of the methodology used.
Macular translocation: histopathologic findings in swine eyes.

PURPOSE. Macular translocation has been proposed as an alternative technique in the treatment of some cases of choroidal neovascularization. The purpose of the paper is to report the histopathologic findings in the retina of swine eyes undergone macular translocation. METHODS. Ten eyes of ten Yucatan pigs underwent posterior pars plana vitrectomy and scleral imbrication to achieve macular translocation. Mattress sutures were preplaced at the equator of the eyes. After a pars plana vitrectomy, balanced saline solution was injected under the temporal retina to produce a retinal detachment. Scleral imbrication was achieved by tightening the mattress sutures. An air-fluid exchange was performed and the eye was filled with sulfur hexafluoride 18%. The eyes were enucleated 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery and analyzed under light and electron microscopy. RESULTS. Macular translocation was achieved in all cases. The major findings consist of a minimal decrease in the number of photoreceptors outer segments; also a change in the morphology was noted. This included some degree of loss of vertical alignment and an increase in the interphotoreceptor space. There was a recovery in the morphology of the photoreceptors over time. CONCLUSIONS. Minimal changes in the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium are observed when macular translocation is performed with recovery of these changes over time. Scleral imbrication is an effective technique to achieve translocation of the fovea.
Disease-related and functional predictors of employment status among adults with multiple sclerosis

Background Due to the extent and complexity of its physical, cognitive, and psychological accompaniments, multiple sclerosis has tremendously negative effects on employment outcomes for adults with the disease. Objective This article extends the current understanding of the relationship between disease-related and functional factors and employment status among adults with multiple sclerosis. Methods Findings are reported in terms of descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The logistic regression analysis was completed to determine the extent to which disease-related and functional predictors contributed to the overall prediction model for the employment status of adults with MS. Results The combined variables explained approximately 33% of the variance in employment status. In addition to three items of the Psychological subscale and 12 items of the Physical subscale, one of the items from the Cognitive Functioning Scale contributed to the prediction of employment status. Conclusions The findings emphasize the importance of including physical, psychological, and cognitive functioning variables when predicting employment status among adults with multiple sclerosis.
A Statistical Analysis on Assortative Matching

We consider the problem of statistical analysis on assortative matching. The random vector of interests consists of the age and the history of the first passage time of each of the newly-formed pairs. Complete data are not often available, however. Observations in each variate of the random vector maybe uncensored, right-censored, left-censored, interval-censored or missing. We propose a model that allows such kind of data. We estimate the joint distribution function of the random vector by the generalized MLE (GMLE). We use a self-consistent algorithm to obtain the GMLE and establish its asymptotic properties. We apply the estimation method to study age at first marriage using a panel data.
The heat equation with Lévy noise1

Abstract We prove short-time existence for parabolic equations with Levy noise of the form u t =Δ α u+u γ L (t, x), t>0, x∈D⊂ R d u(t, x)=0 for x∈D c ,u(0, x)=u 0 (x), where L is nonnegative Levy noise of index p∈(0, 1),Δ α is the α/2 power of the Laplacian, α∈(0,2],γ>0, and u0(x) is a continuous nonnegative function. D is a bounded open domain in R d . A sufficient condition for short time existence is d (1−p)α γp−(1−p) . While we cannot prove uniqueness, we show that the solution we construct is minimal among all solutions.
Milton Friedman, James Buchanan, and Constitutional Political Economy

This chapter argues that the ambiguous bifurcation in Frank Knight’s understanding of economics would manifest itself through the divergent paths in the earlier writings of his students Milton Friedman and James Buchanan. It argues that despite Friedman’s stature in the scientific elite of the profession of economics, the stronger argument for the classical liberal order is found in Buchanan’s work. Moreover, we argue that in the later part of Friedman’s career as a classical liberal political economist, his arguments for the free market society moved away from his earlier emphasis on efficiency claims to the broader claims about the institutional framework within which the game of life is played. In short, Friedman came to stress more the arguments of Buchanan concerning the positive analysis of the politics of economic policy, and the constitutional level of analysis for reform.
Pear Bud Injury and the Pear Leaf Blister Mite

The destruction of pear buds during the winter months, the abundance of weakened buds at blossom time and russetted, imperfect fruit at harvest time have been observed for many years on trees which did not show blistering of the new foliage.
International -Multidisciplinary Aircraft Design Education A Ten Year Experience

In 1994 the Aerospace & Ocean Engineering Department at Virginia Tech began an experiment in multi-disciplinary, international aircraft design education that has grown into a regular part of our educational program. The evolution of this program is discussed in terms of the lessons learned and the reasons for success of certain aspects of the experiment and failure of others. Recommendations are given for ways in which other universities can incorporate similar international experiences in their programs of study.
Research Note: Effect of Presence or Absence of the Opposite Sex on Egg Production and Semen Quality of Breeder Turkeys

The effect of the presence or absence of the opposite sex on egg production and semen quality of breeder turkeys was evaluated. Ninety-six female and 36 male Medium White turkeys were used in this study. Two males were released, individually, into each of eight pens of females for 15 min each day, 5 days/wk. Two males in each of four pens of females were physically isolated in wire-enclosed cages in full view of the females. Males assigned to the remaining four pens of females were placed in isolated pens so they were physically, visually, and vocally separated from the females. Egg production was significantly higher for females under natural mating conditions than for females visually exposed to males in holding pens or for females completely isolated from males. Females visually exposed to, but not in contact with males, laid more eggs than those completely isolated from males during the 13th through the 18th week of production. Semen volume and semen concentration was significantly lower, and the percentage normal sperm was higher for males mating naturally than for those maintained in the presence of or completely isolated from females. Semen concentration was highest in isolated males.
Uterine Conservation at the Time of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Treatment: the Options for Patients and Providers

Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a growing field. POP surgery has traditionally involved performing a hysterectomy at the time of repair for apical compartment prolapse. In recent years, providers and patients have called the medical necessity of this practice into question. There is growing evidence that uterine conservation may be a viable option during the time of prolapse repair. This article will review the historical perspective of uterine conservation, patient selection, conservative management, as well as surgical techniques and recent supporting literature of uterine-sparing procedures for POP. As women seek more minimally invasive approaches for prolapse repair, we anticipate that uterine conservation will continue to gain popularity.
Progress towards controlling lung cancer in Rhode Island.

Background Lung cancer (cancer of the lung and bronchus) is the leading cause of cancer death in Rhode Island and the U.S. overall.1 Currently, it is the most common cancer to be diagnosed in Rhode Island (second most common among males, after prostate cancer, and second most common among females, after breast cancer), and second most common to be diagnosed in the U.S.2 Annual counts of new lung cancers and deaths have increased over the past 25 years in Rhode Island (19% and 2%, respectively), despite great strides in prevention, although annual age-adjusted rates of new lung cancers and deaths tell a slightly different story. In the United States, tobacco use is the leading cause of lung cancer, followed in importance by exposure to radon gas indoors.3 Ongoing work to decrease human exposure to these carcinogens will diminish morbidity and mortality from this disease, as may new recommendations for lung cancer screening issued by the United States Preventive Services Task Force.4 Lung cancer trends are tracked nationally by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute, the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), the National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS) of the CDC, and the American Cancer Society (ACS) and other private organizations. Locally, lung cancer trends are tracked by the Rhode Island Cancer Registry (RICR). RICR is an organizational unit of the Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH), operated by the Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI) under contract with HEALTH. RICR contributes to the national cancer statistics published annually by NPCR and NAACCR.
Situational Factors in Seasonal Patterns of Shopping in Cyprus: Abstract

This study represents one of an on-going series of projects that focus on shopping in different countries around the world. This Cyprus study follows other completed projects in Chile, Granada, India, Trinidad, and the United States. These studies collect data in a similar format to facilitate cross-cultural comparisons. The factors studied in Cyprus were the demographic attributes, purchase-specific behaviors, and situational variables of market shoppers in Nicosia. A distinctive feature of this research was that it explored differences in seasonal patterns of Cypriot shopping. This abstract covers the method used in the survey research and the main results.
Controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) simulation of a multi-functional energy storage system based on modular multilevel DC/DC converter (M2DC) for MVDC grid

This paper applies controller hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) technology to investigate a proposed modular multilevel converter based battery energy storage system (BESS) performance in MVDC grid application. The system hardware prototyping and experiment can be very costly and time consuming due to its high power and high voltage rating, therefore, CHIL offers an effective approach to verify the proposed BESS capability with low cost and fast implementation. The BESS is modeled in real time simulation platform and the converter control strategy is realized in a commercial control hardware. With the developed CHIL testbed, the multi-functional BESS characteristics can be verified, including active power filter and fault current limiting as well as energy supplement capability.
Quick Synopsis of Programs

For a function of the form y = f(x), this program will graph the function, find roots (either by a bisection method or by Newton’s method), find maxima and minima (by analyzing the derivative), and numerically integrate the function with a choice of four methods. The program will also iterate a function graphically. Graphs of the function and its derivatives, or of different functions, can be overlaid. Analyzer is a very handy tool for dealing with awkward equations both numerically and graphically.
Simulated Clover Leaf Weevil Injury and Alfalfa Yield and Quality

The clover leaf weevil (Hypera punctata F.) is a sporadic but potentially serious pest of alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.). Feeding of newly emerged adult fourth instar clover leaf weevil was simulated in a field study at the University of Nebraska Haskell Agricultural Research Lab near Concord, NE, in May 2001 and 2002. Twelve 1- by 1-m plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of two levels of simulated clover leaf weevil defoliation of alfalfa and an undefoliated check. Leaflets were removed over 10 d. Dry matter yield and other plant responses were measured during the first two growth cycles. Yield differences among all three treatments were significant for the first growth cycle. The relationship between percentage defoliation and percentage yield reduction was linear both years. Defoliation did not significantly affect percentages of acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and protein. Alfalfa development also was not significantly affected in the second growth cycle. Dry matter yield reduction as a result of leaf removal at the early bud stage was the most important effect of first growth cycle defoliation.
Asymptotic behavior of a frequency-domain nonlinearity indicator for solutions to the generalized Burgers equation.

A frequency-domain nonlinearity indicator has previously been characterized for two analytical solutions to the generalized Burgers equation (GBE) [Reichman, Gee, Neilsen, and Miller, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 139, 2505–2513 (2016)], including an analytical, asymptotic expression for the Blackstock Bridging Function. This letter gives similar old-age analytical expressions of the indicator for the Mendousse solution and a computational solution to the GBE with spherical spreading. The indicator can be used to characterize the cumulative nonlinearity of a waveform with a single-point measurement, with suggested application to noise waveforms as well.
Acute and long-term effects of adolescent methylphenidate on decision-making and dopamine receptor mRNA expression in the orbitofrontal cortex

Though commonly used as a treatment for ADHD, the psychostimulant methylphenidate (MPH) is also misused and abused in adolescence in both clinical and general populations. Although MPH acts via pathways activated by other drugs of abuse, the short- and long-term effects of MPH on reward processing in learning and decision-making are not clearly understood. We examined the effect of adolescent MPH treatment on a battery of reward-directed behaviors both in adolescence during its administration and in adulthood after its discontinuation. We further measured whether MPH had lasting effects on dopamine receptor mRNA expression in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) that may correspond with behavior. Long-Evans rats were injected with MPH (0, 1, 2.5, or 5mg/kg IP) twice daily from middle to late adolescence (PD38-57). During adolescence, the high dose of MPH reduced preference for large rewards in a Reward Magnitude Discrimination task, but did not affect preference for smaller-sooner rewards in a Delay Discounting task. In adulthood, after discontinuation of MPH, animals previously treated with the moderate dose of MPH showed improved acquisition, but not reversal, in a Reversal Learning task. MPH exposure did not increase preference for large-risky rewards in a Risk task in adulthood. We then quantified mRNA expression of D1, D2, and D3 receptors in the OFC using qPCR. MPH increased mRNA expression of dopamine D3 receptor subtype, but not D1 or D2. Overall, these results indicate that MPH has both immediate and lasting effects on reward-dependent learning and decisions, as well as dopaminergic function in rodents.
Examination of climatological wind patterns and simulated pollen dispersion in a complex island environment

Complex terrain creates small-scale circulations which affect pollen dispersion but may be missed by meteorological observing networks and coarse-grid meteorological models. On volcanic islands, these circulations result from differing rates of surface heating between land and sea as well as rugged terrain. We simulated the transport of bentgrass, ryegrass, and maize pollen from 30 sources within the agricultural regions of the Hawaiian island Kaua’i during climatological conditions spanning season conditions and the La Nina, El Nino, and neutral phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. Both pollen size and source location had major effects on predicted dispersion over and near the island. Three patterns of pollen dispersion were identified in response to prevailing wind conditions: southwest winds transported pollen inland, funneling pollen grains through valleys; east winds transported pollen over the ocean, with dispersive tails for the smallest pollen grains following the mean wind and extending as far as the island of Ni’ihau 35 km away; and northeast winds moved pollen inland counter to the prevailing flow due to a sea breeze circulation that formed over the source region. These results are the first to predict the interactions between complex island terrain and local climatology on grass pollen dispersion. They demonstrate how numerical modeling can provide guidance for field trials by illustrating the common flow regimes present in complex terrain, allowing field trials to focus on areas where successful sampling is more likely to occur.
Metformin sensitizes triple-negative breast cancer to proapoptotic TRAIL receptor agonists by suppressing XIAP expression

Despite robust antitumor activity in diverse preclinical models, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor agonists have not demonstrated efficacy in clinical trials, underscoring the need to identify agents that enhance their activity. We postulated that the metabolic stress induced by the diabetes drug metformin would sensitize breast cancer cells to TRAIL receptor agonists. Human triple (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2)-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines were treated with TRAIL receptor agonists (monoclonal antibodies or TRAIL peptide), metformin, or the combination. The effects on cell survival, caspase activation, and expression of TRAIL receptors and the antiapoptotic protein XIAP were determined. In addition, XIAP was silenced by RNAi in TNBC cells and the effects on sensitivity to TRAIL were determined. The antitumor effects of metformin, TRAIL, or the combination were evaluated in an orthotopic model of metastatic TNBC. Metformin sensitized diverse TNBC cells to TRAIL receptor agonists. Metformin selectively enhanced the sensitivity of transformed breast epithelial cells to TRAIL receptor agonist-induced caspase activation and apoptosis with little effect on untransformed breast epithelial cells. These effects of metformin were accompanied by robust reductions in the protein levels of XIAP, a negative regulator of TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Silencing XIAP in TNBC cells mimicked the TRAIL-sensitizing effects of metformin. Metformin also enhanced the antitumor effects of TRAIL in a metastatic murine TNBC model. Our findings indicate that metformin enhances the activity of TRAIL receptor agonists, thereby supporting the rationale for additional translational studies combining these agents.
Co-development of complementary technology and modified-CPL family for organic digital integrated circuits

We present a novel logic family alternative to classic CMOS logic and its experimental demonstration for digital application of organic electronics. The proposed logic family is a modified version of the complementary pass-transistor logic (mCPL), which allows use of a stronger transistor (in our case the p-FET) to provide more of the current required to switch the capacitance in the device. We report the integration and characterization of this new class of gates and compare them with the equivalent CMOS structures. The characterization of inverters shows improved tolerance to process variation, up to 2.5× better delay, and 1.7× smaller area for the mCPL devices. Comparison of NOR and NAND gates shows 1.8× and 4.1× reduced gate delay. A 3× reduced energy consumption per operation is also simulated. The improved performance of the mCPL design makes it an alternative architecture for logic application of organic electronics.
A Global Survey of EUV Corona Power Spectra

We present results of a global survey of single-pixel intensity power spectra from a 12-hour time period on 26 June 2013 in a 1600x1600 pixel region from four channels of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument. We extract single-pixel time series from a derotated image sequence, fit models to the power spectra of these time series, and study the spatial dependence of the model parameters. Two power spectra models are considered: i) a three-parameter power-law + tail model and ii) a power-law + tail model + three-parameter localized Lorentzian, the latter to model periodicity. Spectra are well-described by at least one of these models for all pixel locations, with the spatial distribution of best-fit model parameters shown to provide new and unique insights into turbulent, quiescent and periodic features in the EUV corona and upper photosphere. Findings include: individual model parameters correspond clearly and directly to visible solar features; detection of numerous quasi-periodic three- and five-minute oscillations; observational identification of concentrated magnetic flux as regions of largest power-law indices [n]; identification of unique spectral features of coronal holes and filaments; identification of sporadic and pervasive five-minute oscillations throughout the corona; detection of the known global ~4.0-minute chromospheric oscillation; "coronal bullseyes" appearing as radially decaying periodicities over sunspots and sporadic foot-point regions; and "penumbral periodic voids" appearing as broad rings around sunspots in 1600 and 1700 A in which spectra contain no statistically significant periodic component.
After-hours/on-call experience during primary care nurse practitioner education utilizing standard scenarios and simulated patients

Background and purpose Few nurse practitioner (NP) programs include an after-hours/on-call component in their clinical preparation of NP students. This role is expected in many primary and specialty care practices, and is one that students feel unprepared to competently navigate. Methods Utilizing simulated callers as patients or parents, NP students participated in a simulated after-hours/on-call experience that included receiving the call, managing the patient, and submitting documentation of the encounter. Students completed pre- and postparticipation evaluations, and were evaluated by the simulated patient callers and faculty using standardized evaluation tools. Conclusions NP students rated the experience as an educationally valuable experience despite feeling anxious and nervous about the experience. Several essential skills were identified including critical thinking, clear communication, self-confidence, and access to resources. After participation NP students were more receptive to an NP position with an on-call component. Implications for practice Inclusion of a simulated on-call experience is a feasible component of NP education and should be added to the NP curriculum.
Computational photoacoustic imaging with sparsity-based optimization of the initial pressure distribution

In photoacoustic (PA) imaging, the optical absorption can be acquired from the initial pressure distribution (IPD). An accurate reconstruction of the IPD will be very helpful for the reconstruction of the optical absorption. However, the image quality of PA imaging in scattering media is deteriorated by the acoustic diffraction, imaging artifacts, and weak PA signals. In this paper, we propose a sparsity-based optimization approach that improves the reconstruction of the IPD in PA imaging. A linear imaging forward model was set up based on time-and-delay method with the assumption that the point spread function (PSF) is spatial invariant. Then, an optimization equation was proposed with a regularization term to denote the sparsity of the IPD in a certain domain to solve this inverse problem. As a proof of principle, the approach was applied to reconstructing point objects and blood vessel phantoms. The resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were compared between conventional back-projection and our proposed approach. Overall these results show that computational imaging can leverage the sparsity of PA images to improve the estimation of the IPD.
Preparations and Protocols for Whole Cell Patch Clamp Recording of Xenopus laevis Tectal Neurons

The Xenopus tadpole retinotectal circuit, comprised of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the eye which form synapses directly onto neurons in the optic tectum, is a popular model to study how neural circuits self-assemble. The ability to carry out whole cell patch clamp recordings from tectal neurons and to record RGC-evoked responses, either in vivo or using a whole brain preparation, has generated a large body of high-resolution data about the mechanisms underlying normal, and abnormal, circuit formation and function. Here we describe how to perform the in vivo preparation, the original whole brain preparation, and a more recently developed horizontal brain slice preparation for obtaining whole cell patch clamp recordings from tectal neurons. Each preparation has unique experimental advantages. The in vivo preparation enables the recording of the direct response of tectal neurons to visual stimuli projected onto the eye. The whole brain preparation allows for the RGC axons to be activated in a highly controlled manner, and the horizontal brain slice preparation allows recording from across all layers of the tectum.
Establishing maximal medical improvement after anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty.

Background As a heightened emphasis continues to be placed on value-based health care, quality outcomes following orthopedic procedures must be properly defined. With knowledge of the time to maximal medical improvement following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), physician resources can be justly allocated to optimize value in ambulatory orthopedic care. Materials and methods A systematic review was conducted to identify studies reporting sequential follow-up at several time points, up to a minimum of 2 years after TSA. Assessment for clinically significant improvements between time intervals was made by using the minimal clinically important difference specific to each patient-reported outcome measure. Results We identified 13 studies that fit the criteria to be included in this review, amounting to 984 patients who underwent TSA. Clinically significant improvements in patient-reported outcome scores were appreciated up to 1 year following TSA, but no further clinical significance was seen from 1 year to 2 years. Objective physical examination measurements followed a similar trend, with clinically significant improvements in abduction occurring up to 1 year postoperatively. For both the subjective and objective outcomes, the majority of improvements occurred in the first 3 months after the procedure. Conclusions Following TSA, clinically significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical measurements are seen up to 1 year postoperatively but not beyond this time. This result is important for counseling patients and modifying their expectations prior to surgery as well as for establishing a time frame for maximized outcome evaluation to define the value received from TSA.
Effect of ELM pacing on morphology evolution and erosion of tungsten as a plasma-facing material in a fusion environment

Abstract Mitigation of transient plasma events in a future fusion device is necessary to minimize thermal damage on surrounding plasma facing components (PFCs). Intense heat loading caused by an edge-localized mode (ELM) can lead to melting and splashing of the PFC surface. ELM mitigation involves triggering these events at higher frequencies, which lowers the effective heat flux imparted on the material. Unfortunately, concurrent, high-flux He + ion irradiation on tungsten (W), which is the leading candidate material for future PFCs, has been shown to drive the development of an arborescent nanostructure, known as fuzz. Large drops in thermal conductivity and mechanical strength with fuzz formation necessitate a reconsideration of the impact of ELM mitigation on material damage and erosion. Three different types of experiments designed to characterize the synergistic effect between He + ion irradiation and pulsed heat loading (replicated with a pulsed millisecond laser) were conducted in the UHFI-II facility at CMUXE. W samples exposed to pulsed heat loading underwent roughening in the form of a shale-like surface morphology, regardless of frequency. The addition of simultaneous He + ion irradiation with pulsed heat loading promoted splashing of molten material and caused significant pore formation. Increasing the frequency to 10 Hz produced a smoother W surface. However, when the total average laser power was held constant, increasing the frequency decreased the laser energy density, which significantly decreased surface melting and enhanced early stage fuzz formation. Results obtained raise an important question of whether ELM mitigation parameters can be tuned to anneal out any He-induced surface structuring without causing unsustainable splashing of molten material.
Cognitive Restructuring About Tics

Abstract Tics are often stigmatized by peers, which in some cases can cause affected youth to develop problematic beliefs about themselves and their tics. These negative beliefs can then engender poor self-esteem and avoidance of valued life activities. Clinicians who seek to provide comprehensive care of youth with tics should be attentive to these potential problems and prepared to confront them effectively. This chapter aims to briefly describe the stigma associated with tics and introduce a cognitive-behavioral technique—cognitive restructuring (CR)—that the authors have found useful in addressing maladaptive cognitions related to tics. A series of case examples are also provided to illustrate the use of CR during treatment sessions.
Implementing scenarios as an evaluation method of the patient-physician interaction in decision aids

Decision aids are being used in the exam room to assist physicians with diagnosing. Past research on computer-based decision aids examined perceived physician capabilities and degree of liability, and their impact on the patient-physician interaction. However, no one has contrasted the use of physical aids (physician's desk reference) with computerized aids on these characteristics. In this study, participants were given a scenario in which they took on the role of the patient and were asked to rate the physician's capabilities and degree of liability given a negative outcome. There were no significant differences between the aid types (computer, physical, or no) employed on physician capabilities or liability. However, we suggest that scenarios can effectively be used to assess the impact of decision aids on the physician-patient interaction.
Rhodamine B degradation by nanosized zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)

Adsorption and photodegradation of rhodamine B by ZIF-8 nanocrystals were studied using spectroscopic techniques coupled with density functional theory (DFT) cluster calculations. A fast adsorption rate was observed in the dark, but upon exposure to visible light or UV irradiation the adsorption rate noticeably increased. Although several studies previously reported this phenomenon involving bulk ZIF-8 powder, this is the first mechanistic study to our knowledge that demonstrates adsorption and degradation of rhodamine B by nanosized ZIF-8 under various light conditions. The combined study of N2 sorption pore analysis and surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the surface adsorption was mainly due to the open metal sites and surface groups of nanoporous ZIF-8. The fluorescence studies suggested ZIF-8 nanocrystals were able to generate hydroxyl radicals in water but only under UV illumination. The work presented here provides an insight into understanding nanoscale metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in the removal of organic molecules from wastewater.
Designing for Interactivity, While Scaffolding Student Entry, Within Immersive Virtual Reality Environments:

Since the advent of Second Life in 2004, immersive virtual-reality (VR) environments have been readily available to educators; more recent open-source environments have reduced costs significantly....
Optic disc segmentation in fundus images using deep learning

Ophthalmologists use the optic disc to cup ratio as one factor to diagnose glaucoma. Optic disc in fundus images is the area where blood vessels and optic nerve fibers enter the retina. A cup to disc ratio (the diameter of the cup divided by the diameter of the optic disc) greater than 0.3 is considered to be suggestive of glaucoma. Therefore, we are developing automatic methods to estimate optic disc and cup areas, and the optic disc to cup ratio. There are four steps to estimate the ratio: region of interest (ROI) area detection (where optic disc is in the center) from the fundus image, optic disc segmentation from the ROI, cup segmentation from the optic disc area, and cup to optic disc ratio estimation. This paper proposes an automated method to segment the optic disc from the ROI using deep learning. A Fully Convolutional Network (FCN) with a U-Net architecture is used for the segmentation. We use fundus images from MESSIDOR dataset in this experiment, a public dataset containing 1,200 fundus images. We divide the dataset into five equal subsets for training and independent testing (each set has four subsets for training and one subset for testing). The proposed method outperforms other existing algorithms. The results show 0.94 Jaccard index, 0.98 sensitivity, 0.99 specificity, and 0.99 accuracy.
Heparin-Sparing Anticoagulation Strategies Are Viable Options for Patients on Veno-Venous ECMO.

Abstract Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a rescue therapy for pulmonary failure, has traditionally been limited by anticoagulation requirements. Recent practice has challenged the absolute need for anticoagulation, expanding the role of ECMO to patients with higher bleeding risk. We hypothesize that mortality, bleeding, thrombotic events, and transfusions do not differ between heparin-sparing and full therapeutic anticoagulation strategies in veno-venous (VV) ECMO management. Materials and methods Adult VV ECMO patients between October 2011 and May 2018 at a single center were reviewed. A heparin-sparing strategy was implemented in October 2014; we compared outcomes in an as-treated fashion. The primary end point was survival. Secondary end points included bleeding, thrombotic complications, and transfusion requirements. Results Forty VV ECMO patients were included: 17 (147 circuit-days) before and 23 (214 circuit-days) after implementation of a heparin-sparing protocol. Patients treated with heparin-sparing anticoagulation had a lower body mass index (28.5 ± 7.1 versus 38.1 ± 12.4, P = 0.01), more often required inotropic support before ECMO (82 versus 50%, P = 0.05), and had a lower mean activated clotting time (167 ± 15 versus 189 ± 15 s, P Conclusions Survival, bleeding, thrombotic complications, and transfusion requirements did not differ between heparin-sparing and full therapeutic heparin strategies for management of VV ECMO. VV ECMO can be a safe option in patients with traditional contraindications to anticoagulation.