cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
End-stage Renal Disease after Renal Surgery: Partial Nephrectomy is Protective, but to What Degree and Consequence?

In this issue of European Urology, Capitanio and colleagues [1] present a multicenter analysis of functional outcomes after renal cancer surgery with a special focus on the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The study population comprised 2027 patients with a clinical T1 renal mass treated with partial nephrectomy (PN; n = 1334) or radical nephrectomy (RN; n = 693) between 1984 and 2010, with mean follow-up of 72 mo. Patients with preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD) were excluded, and ESRD was defined as development of estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 15 ml/min/1.73 m 2 . ESRD was observed in 1.5% and 2.5% of PN patients at 5- and 10-yr follow-up, respectively, very similar to the rates of 1.9% and 2.7% after RN at the same time points. However, relevant comorbidities that can impact renal function were more prevalent in the PN cohort, and when multivariable analysis was applied to control for these potential confounders, PN was associated with a substantially lower risk of ESRD (hazard ratio [HR] 0.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.2–0.8; p = 0.02). The authors conclude that ‘‘PN independently protects against ESRD and consequent need for dialysis’’. The authors should be congratulated for making a substantial contribution to the debate regarding the merits of PN relative to RN [2], and their findings are certainly in alignment with common sense. However, a discerning reader might want to ask some important questions. First, what is the quality of evidence and does it really suggest cause/effect as the authors imply? Even more pertinent, what is the relevance of such findings to long-term survival for the population as a whole? To address these issues, let us first look at the statistical analysis presented by the authors in Supplementary Table 1, in which univariable and multivariable results are outlined. It is not clear why some factors that were significant in univariable analysis, such as the Charlson comorbidity index (p = 0.01), were not included in the multivariable analysis, while other factors that were not even close to statistical significance in univariable analysis, such as treatment type (PN vs RN, p = 0.5), were carried forward. In reality, the statistical analysis is somewhat complex, and is described in the table as a ‘‘reduced model after backward stepwise’’. When the statistical manipulations required to elucidate the advantages of a given treatment are this obscure, one wonders about the true degree of the effect. Beyond this we must recognize the more fundamental
On Cultioation Students'ldeation in Eoreign Language Teaching

Students' Ideation is crucial to the guality of foreign lanuage teaching.During the teaching process,positive effects come from the cultivation of the students' ideation by exploring their potential image-building and reasoning capability.
Archaeopteryx and the Origin of Birds

Since the late 1860s,the first Archaeopteryx were found,the study of bird origin is over 150 years old.It is a point and disputed issues in the field of evolutionary biology in the past 100 years.The dinosaurian origin of birds had gained broad support since the resemblance between birds and theropods was first recognized by Huxley(1868) and other paleontologists.The discoveries of feathered dinosaurs have provided some of the most significant evidence supporting the dinosaurian origin of birds from China.Here described the history of the discovery of Archaeopteryx,also according to this area in the recent progress and existing debate,discussed the issue of Archaeopteryx classified,and the functions of Archaeopteryx.Finally,a simple analysis was made on the origin of birds from a methodological point.
Determination of trace cyanide in domestic and drinking water by purge and trap-GC-MS

Objective To establish an purge and trap-GC-MS method for determination of trace cyanide in domestic and drinking water. Methods Choose purge and trap-GC-MS method to determine the trace cyanide in drinking water,determine the ideal conditions of purge and trap and gas chromatography,and the determine the content of cyanide in drinking water,precision and standard addition recovery rate,as a methodology. Results This purge and trap-GC-MS method exhibited a linear relation within 2. 5 μg / L-50 μg / L cyanide in domestic and drinking water. The regression equation was y = 21 780 x +33 610( r = 0. 999 1) and the minimum detectable limit of this method was 0. 2 μg / L. Furthermore,the recoveries of basic cyanide were 91. 5%-99. 5% while the contents of added standard were 5. 0 μg / L,15. 0 μg / L,30. 0 μg / L. In cyanide solution15. 0 μg / L,determination of six times in a row,RSD was 4. 32%. Conclusion This is a simple,accurate and reliable to determine the trace cyanide in domestic and drinking water by purge and trap-GC-MS.
Firearms Matter: The Moderating Role of Firearm Storage in the Association Between Current Suicidal Ideation and Likelihood of Future Suicide Attempts Among United States Military Personnel

The relationship between firearm ownership and suicide is well documented. This study hypothesized that how soldiers store their firearms would moderate the relationship between suicidal ideation and the self-reported likelihood of engaging in a future suicide attempt, and that this relationship would be explained by fearlessness about death. There were 432 military personnel (91.3% men, 74.2% White, M-age = 27.60) who endorsed current ownership of a private firearm and who were recruited from a military base in the southeastern United States (94.5% National Guard). Firearm storage moderated the relationship between suicidal ideation and the self-reported likelihood of engaging in a future suicide attempt, but this relationship was not explained by fearlessness about death. Individuals who reported keeping their firearms loaded and stored in an unsecure location exhibited higher mean levels of fearlessness about death. FINDINGS highlight the need for research examining contributors to suicide risk in the context of firearm storage, and provide support for suicide prevention efforts involving restricting means. Language: en
A historical survey of scintigraphic methodology for evaluation of the reproductive tract

Scintigraphic techniques have contributed to many aspects of our understanding of genital and reproductive physiology and pathophysiology. Few of these methods have become mainstream diagnostic techniques; nonetheless, their flexible, physiologic, and intrinsically quantitative nature have contributed information and insights not readily available by other means. The techniques discussed in this review measure various dynamic processes within the body, including blood flow, variation of blood volume, and lymphatic and fallopian tube transport. Dynamic measurement of these processes exploits nuclear medicine's ability to radiolabel and monitor substances while preserving normal physiologic behavior. Consideration of these methods will potentially stimulate future development and application of radionuclide techniques to emerging questions in the fields of reproductive and genital physiology.
Nuclear Explosives as an Engineering Tool

Nuclear explosives were originally developed as weapons of war. But they also represent the most compact sources of energy we have available. Thus it is not surprising that considerable multinational effort was expended to try to turn these devices into useful, reliable tools. From a purely technical view, those efforts were successful: problems connected with ground motion, air blast, and radioactivity were well defined and solutions developed that were expressed as operational restrictions. From a political or social view, the programs were less fortunate: efforts to limit the use and spread of nuclear weapons, while not always succeeding in their primary goals, have eliminated any current American work on the use of nuclear explosives as an engineering tool. However, much that was learned from the nuclear explosion research has proved applicable to the use of very large quantities of chemical explosives.
Breast and ovarian cancer genetics and prevention.

Abstract Inherited breast and ovarian cancers account for 10% of all breast and ovarian cancers. Relative to sporadic breast and ovarian cancers, these cancers tend to occur at an earlier age and grow more aggressively. Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations (BRCA1/2 mutation) have a 65% to 85% cumulative lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer and a 15% to 65% cumulative lifetime risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer. Identification of patients with the mutation is therefore crucial, because preventive measures such as prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, prophylactic bilateral salpingpo-oophorectomy and chemoprevention with Tamoxifen can prevent breast and ovarian cancer. Likewise, genetic counseling prior to testing is important, considering the major impact of the test results on an individual's life.
Stochastic Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Robust Optimal Control Design

We present preliminary results on the development of a stochastic adaptive dynamic programming theory for the data-driven, non-model-based design of robust optimal controllers for continuous-time stochastic systems. Both multiplicative noise and additive noise are considered. Two types of optimal control problems—the discounted problem and the biased problem—are investigated. Reinforcement learning and adaptive dynamic programming techniques are employed to design stochastic adaptive optimal controllers through online successive approximations of optimal solutions. Rigorous convergence proofs along with stability analysis are provided. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is validated by three illustrative practical examples arising from biological motor control and vehicle suspension control.
Cleft Lip and Palate

Cleft lip with and without cleft palate and cleft palate in isolation are the most common congenital deformities of the head and neck. In addition to the defects seen of the lip and palate, secondary problems and deformities (e.g., cleft lip nasal deformity, velopharyngeal dysfunction) can result from the underlying anatomical abnormalities seen in this setting. Herein techniques of repairing primary and secondary problems associated with cleft lip and palate are discussed. Additional discussion of the embryology, etiology, and classification of cleft deformities is contained within this text.
Hexagonal keratotomy : Should we still be trying ?

BACKGROUND I present my limited but positive experience with hexagonal keratotomy for hyperopia. METHODS Eighteen consecutive eyes of 12 patients underwent hexagonal keratotomy during 1993. In addition to the primary procedures, 14 enhancements were required in seven eyes for both astigmatism and undercorrection. Surgical planning was based on refractive data only. All surgeries were performed by one surgeon using the open hexagonal keratotomy pattern. RESULTS The patients' average age was 56 years (range, 38 to 67 years). Fourteen eyes were corrected for emmetropia. They had an average preoperative refraction of +2.22 +/- 0.64 diopters (D) and an average postoperative refraction of +0.11 +/- 0.49 D. Four eyes were corrected for near vision (-2.00 D). They had an average preoperative refraction of -0.53 +/- 0.83 D, and postoperatively their average refraction was -1.78 +/- 0.50 D. All four could read J1 without correction postoperatively. No eye lost more than one line of spectacle-corrected visual acuity; none had a major sight-threatening complication. CONCLUSIONS Hexagonal keratotomy can correct 3.50 D or less of hyperopia. Conservative surgery with one major reoperation procedure is suggested. Because of the highly variable results noted in the literature and several reports of significant complications, I no longer perform or recommend hexagonal keratotomy.
Comparative study of host response to chytridiomycosis in a susceptible and a resistant toad species

In the past century, recently emerged infectious diseases have become major drivers of species decline and extinction. The fungal disease chytridiomycosis has devastated many amphibian populations and exacerbated the amphibian conservation crisis. Biologists are beginning to understand what host traits contribute to disease susceptibility, but more work is needed to determine why some species succumb to chytridiomycosis while others do not. We conducted an integrative laboratory experiment to examine how two toad species respond to infection with the pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in a controlled environment. We selected two toad species thought to differ in susceptibility – Bufo marinus (an invasive and putatively resistant species) and B. boreas (an endangered and putatively susceptible species). We measured infection intensity, body weight, histological changes, and genome-wide gene expression using a custom assay developed from transcriptome sequencing. Our results confirmed that the two species differ in susceptibility with the more susceptible species, B. boreas, showing higher infection intensities, loss in body weight, more dramatic histological changes, and larger perturbations in gene expression. We found key differences in skin expression responses in multiple pathways including up-regulation of skin integrity-related genes in the resistant B. marinus. Together our results show intrinsic differences in host response between related species, which are likely to be important in explaining variation in response to a deadly emerging pathogen in wild populations. Our study also underscores the importance of understanding differences among host species to better predict disease outcomes and reveal generalities about host response to emerging infectious diseases of wildlife. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
I37 Hd trialfinder: a clinical trial matching resource for the HD community

Background The recruitment of clinical trial participants in a timely manner is one of the greatest obstacles to developing the next Huntington’s disease (HD) treatment. In the past, if individuals were interested in trials, they were directed to resources such as Clinicaltrials.gov. Unfortunately, sites like this are outdated, difficult to understand and often do not provide a direct connexion to a study site coordinator. All of these are unnecessary barriers to trial participation. Aim HDSA identified the lack of a patient friendly, reliable clinical trial resource as a critical need in the HD community so we collaborated with EmergingMed to develop a new resource called HD Trialfinder. Methods HD Trialfinder has both web-based and telephone components. The web-based portion is a free, easy-to-use clinical trial matching program that connects individuals affected by HD with current HD studies in North America. It can be found at www.HDTrialfinder.org. The second component of HD Trialfinder is a call centre. The call centre (1–866-890–6612) is staffed during normal business hours by professional trained “Clinical Trial Navigators” that assist families that need extra assistance. The HD Trialfinder is updated daily to ensure its database includes only HD studies that are currently recruiting. The trial listings in the HD Trialfinder come from publicly available sources, such as Clinicaltrials.gov. In addition, HDSA makes direct outreach to researchers and trial sites across the United States to include HD related clinical research studies that may are not listed in Clinicaltrials.gov. The HD Trialfinder database only lists studies that have Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. To best match to a trial you must complete a brief questionnaire composed of 11 questions about yourself (or the HD impacted individual). Results Since launch, in 2015, HD Trialfinder has registered nearly 1900 users. 70% of users are HD patients, 28.5% family/friends and 1.5% are physicians. On average, the call centre handles ~90 interactions (calls/emails) each month. HD Trialfinder provides you with a patient-friendly summary of the different clinical studies, as well as the contact information for the nearest HD study. Data from Emerging Med show that patients that speak with someone about clinical trials are 4 times more likely to enrol than those who do not. Outreach by the clinical trial navigators will allow us to partially quantify the impact HD Trialfinder has on HD trial recruitment. Conclusions All HD organisations and families share a common goal of finding effective therapies for HD as quickly as possible. In the future, HDSA would the HD Trialfinder and call centre expanded to include multiple languages and HD trials from other countries to serve as a global HD clinical trial resource. In partnership with other HD organisations, it is our hope that HD Trialfinder will work to expedite the recruitment of current and future HD trials and help make effective therapies for HD a reality.
Interactions between Zinc and Allosteric Modulators of the Glycine Receptor.

The glycine receptor is a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel that is involved in fast inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Zinc is an allosteric modulator of glycine receptor function, enhancing the effects of glycine at nanomolar to low-micromolar concentrations and inhibiting its effects at higher concentrations. Low-nanomolar concentrations of contaminating zinc in electrophysiological buffers are capable of synergistically enhancing receptor modulation by other compounds, such as ethanol. This suggests that, unless accounted for, previous studies of glycine receptor modulation were measuring the effects of modulator plus comodulation by zinc on receptor function. Since zinc is present in vivo at a variety of concentrations, it will influence glycine receptor modulation by other pharmacologic agents. We investigated the utility of previously described “zinc-enhancement–insensitive” α1 glycine receptor mutants D80A, D80G, and W170S to probe for interactions between zinc and other allosteric modulators at the glycine receptor. We found that only the W170S mutation conferred complete abolishment of zinc enhancement across a variety of agonist and zinc concentrations. Using α1 W170S receptors, we established that, in addition to ethanol, zinc interacts with inhalants, but not volatile anesthetics, to synergistically enhance channel function. Additionally, we determined that this interaction is abolished at higher zinc concentrations when receptor-enhancing binding sites are saturated, suggesting a mechanism by which modulators such as ethanol and inhalants are capable of increasing receptor affinity for zinc, in addition to enhancing channel function on their own.
Spiral theme plot

We introduce a new visualization method for temporal data, Spiral Theme Plot, by combining ThemeRiver method, spiral patterns, and scatter plot technique. Similar to ThemeRiver, data in different categories (themes) are visualized in different bands, but also in a spiral pattern. Themes are stacked along a spiral curve, which represent the time axis. Individual data points are plotted within the regions of the themes, with various visual features. In addition to showing the overall theme patterns over time, this approach also shows plotting patterns within the themes. Compared to ThemeRiver, Spiral Theme Plot can accommodate longer time axis, and more importantly, can provide periodic patterns that are typically not available in ThemeRiver.
Use of thermocouples and argon line broadening for gas temperature measurement in a radio frequency atmospheric microplasma jet

This paper presents the use of thermocouples and line broadening of argon 2p-1s emission lines for the measurement of gas temperature of an atmospheric argon microplasma jet. The measured temperatures are compared with rotational spectra fitting of OH (A-X) and N2 (C-B) emission. An rf microplasma jet with two electrical configurations and different temperature ranges was used. The calculated gas temperatures with thermocouples, argon lines, and OH ranged from 290 to 423 K and 393-510 K for the two configurations, depending on the rf power. The temperature from fitting the N2 spectra overestimated the gas temperatures in both configurations (593-680 and 664-853 K). The non-nitrogen temperature measurements agree well with each other within the measurement uncertainty. The results show that not all optical emission temperature methods are appropriate and the accuracy of argon line broadening is dependent on the device configuration. The results also show that conventional thermocouples are surprisingly accurate and viable for these plasmas.
Anisotropic mechanosensitive pathways in the diaphragm and their implications in muscular dystrophies.

The diaphragm is the “respiratory pump;” the muscle that generates pressure to allow ventilation. Diaphragm muscles play a vital function and thus are subjected to continuous mechanical loading. One of its peculiarities is the ability to generate distinct mechanical and biochemical responses depending on the direction through which the mechanical forces applied to it. Contractile forces originated from its contractile components are transmitted to other structural components of its muscle fibers and the surrounding connective tissue. The anisotropic mechanical properties of the diaphragm are translated into biochemical signals that are directionally mechanosensitive by mechanisms that appear to be unique to this muscle. Here, we reviewed the current state of knowledge on the biochemical pathways regulated by mechanical signals emphasizing their anisotropic behavior in the normal diaphragm and analyzed how they are affected in muscular dystrophies.
Secularism and State Policies toward Religion: The War of Two Frances and the Rise of Assertive Secularism (1789–1989)

Throughout medieval times, the Catholic Church was a dominant sociopolitical power in Western and Central Europe. France had special status in this situation as the fille ainee de l'Eglise (elder daughter of the Church). Then, assertive secularism became the dominant ideology in such a Catholic country. The proponents and opponents of assertive secularism have different perspectives to explain this puzzle as Emile Poulat notes: “Our secularism has one history and two memories.” Beyond this ideological division there are two main approaches to the history of secularism in France. Bauberot attaches importance to continuity in his analysis. For him, the secularization of the French state was a gradual process. He defines the postrevolutionary period (1789–1806) as the first threshold of political secularization and the early Third Republic's secularization reforms (1881–1905) as the second threshold. Pena-Ruiz criticizes Bauberot's process-oriented argument and stresses that there were several moments of back and forth, rather than continuity in the French history of secularism. Pena-Ruiz emphasizes the emergence of the secular state in 1795 and the return to close church-state relations by the Concordat of 1801. According to his perspective, secularization reforms (1881–1905) meant a rupture from the Catholic past, rather than a result of an ongoing process. These two actually are not mutually exclusive perspectives. While examining the ideological dominance of assertive secularism, I use the change-based approach and take the early Third Republic (1875–1905) as the critical juncture.
The Representation of Light-Water Reflectors by Boundary Conditions

A general relationship between two-group fluxes and normal currents on the surface of a core surrounded by a homogeneous reflector is derived. The relationship is an integral one derived directly f...
A Review of Pediatric Lower Extremity Data for Pedestrian Numerical Modeling: Injury Epidemiology, Anatomy, Anthropometry, Structural, and Mechanical Properties

Pedestrian injuries are the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children aged 1 to 19. The lower extremity represents the most frequently injured body region in car-to-pedestrian accidents. The goal of this study was to perform a systematic review of the data related to pedestrian lower extremity injuries, anatomy, anthropometry, structural, and mechanical properties, which can be used in the development of new pediatric computational models. The study began with a review of epidemiologic data related to pediatric pedestrian accidents. Anatomy of the child lower extremity and age-related anthropometry data were presented as well. Then, both the mechanical and structural properties of the lower extremity main components (e.g., bones, cartilages, knee ligaments, muscles, tendons, and growth plates) available in literature were summarized. The study concluded with a brief description of current child pedestrian models, which included a discussion about their limitations. We believe that data included in this review study can help in improving the biofidelity of current child models and support the development and validation of new child models used by safety researchers for protection of pediatric population.
Design and Topology Optimization of 3D-Printed Wax Patterns for Rapid Investment Casting

Abstract Traditional investment casting (IC), also known as lost-wax casting, suffers from high tooling cost and long lead-time during fabrication of wax patterns. In recent years, rapid investment casting (RIC) based on AM has become widely accepted in casting foundries due to rapid production of patterns without any tooling requirements. Direct AM production of wax patterns is not only cost-efficient for low volume production but also capable of creating freeform and highly complex geometries that are otherwise extremely difficult or too expensive to cast conventionally. Such advantages provide unlimited opportunities in the cast part design and enable the use of advanced design tools especially advanced optimization tools like topology optimization (TO). In this study, knowledge-based design guidelines for rapid investment casting are developed through streamlined integration of TO with design for investment casting and design for AM principles. Specifically, TO routine based on Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method using Abaqus Topology Optimization Module (ATOM) has been developed for both material extrusion and investment casting constraints. Part design optimization is demonstrated for this new technique and is validated by a case study using heat-treated ASTM A216 WCB cast carbon steel parts. AM patterns for investment casting are produced using commercially available wax filaments. Wax material extrusion parameters are identified for optimal AM accuracy and surface finish.
Antimicrobial Irrigation and Technique during Breast Augmentation: Survey of Current Practice.

Breast augmentation is among the most common procedures performed in the United States. Though bacterial contamination of breast prostheses is associated with adverse sequelae, there are no universally accepted guidelines and limited best practice recommendations for antimicrobial breast pocket irrigation. We designed a survey to identify pocket irrigation preferences and antimicrobial techniques during implant-based breast augmentation among American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) members. Methods In January 2018, a random cohort of 2,488 ASPS members was surveyed. Questions queried breast pocket irrigation methods and surgical techniques including implant placement, incision location, and implant soaking agents. An extensive literature review of breast pocket irrigation practices was completed and used as a basis for the survey. Results The survey response rate was above the ASPS average at 16% (n = 407). Respondents preferred an inframammary incision (90%) and submuscular implant placement (92%). Triple antibiotic solution (TAS) and TAS + Betadine ± Bacitracin were preferred by 61% and Betadine variants by 11%. Preferred dwell times stratified to 30 seconds (39%), 1 minute (18%), 2-5 minutes (21%), and >5 minutes (22%). Among those employing a TAS variant, 53% preferred a suboptimal dwell time of ≤1 minute. Prostheses were soaked in TAS (42%), TAS + Betadine ± Bacitracin (15%), a Betadine variant (12%), or other (31%). Conclusions Periprosthetic bacterial contamination leads to comorbidity following breast augmentation. Our results reveal significant variability regarding breast pocket irrigation techniques among ASPS members during cosmetic breast augmentation. These data suggest the need for best practice guidelines regarding breast pocket irrigation and implant soaking agents.
The art of clinical supervision program: its impact on nurses attitudes towards nursing students

Background: Increasing health professional student numbers in Australia, in response to looming predicted workforce shortages, resulted in a Federal Government call for action to provide clinical supervision education to health professionals. Objectives: This research aimed to develop, implement and evaluate the programme, 'The Art of Clinical Supervision' (ACS), designed to support nurses facilitate a positive learning environment for student nurses. Method: The ACS programme was presented (n = 199) across Western Australia as a doctoral study, with participants from both the public and private healthcare sector working in a variety of specialties. A triangulation approach of surveys, reflective entries and interviews was utilised to determine its impact. Results: The data indicated that participants improved their understanding of supervision and attitude towards students and supervision after attending the ACS. Conclusions: Health service managers are encouraged to evaluate their staffs' knowledge and attitude towards students with findings used to facilitate a positive learning culture.Impact Statement: The Art of Clinical SupervisionThe purpose of the research was to develop, implement and review a new education programme that could support the development of clinical supervision knowledge and attitude to support student nurse learning. This occurred in an environment of increased student numbers as a strategy to correct a predicted looming workforce shortage.The study findings determined that the programme improved both participant knowledge about how to provide effective clinical supervision (teaching) in the clinical environment, and improved staff attitudes towards students and their place as a learner in the clinical areas.The type of impact was therefore within the domain of quality by improving student learning through effective education strategy.As a result of the doctoral research, involving 200 participants, a Federal Government grant of approx. $500,000 was received to facilitate the training of additional educators to provide the programme across the state of Western Australia. This grant was a partnership between the programme author (researcher) and the Western Australian Government Department of Health. This involved four educators presenting the programme to over 3,000 health professionals in a 3-year period. Despite the cessation of funds with the closure of HWA the programme continues to be delivered through The University of Notre Dame Australia School of Nursing and Midwifery, with only a cost recovery charge.
Deep Learning for Earth Image Segmentation based on Imperfect Polyline Labels with Annotation Errors.

In recent years, deep learning techniques (e.g., U-Net, DeepLab) have achieved tremendous success in image segmentation. The performance of these models heavily relies on high-quality ground truth segment labels. Unfortunately, in many real-world problems, ground truth segment labels often have geometric annotation errors due to manual annotation mistakes, GPS errors, or visually interpreting background imagery at a coarse resolution. Such location errors will significantly impact the training performance of existing deep learning algorithms. Existing research on label errors either models ground truth errors in label semantics (assuming label locations to be correct) or models label location errors with simple square patch shifting. These methods cannot fully incorporate the geometric properties of label location errors. To fill the gap, this paper proposes a generic learning framework based on the EM algorithm to update deep learning model parameters and infer hidden true label locations simultaneously. Evaluations on a real-world hydrological dataset in the streamline refinement application show that the proposed framework outperforms baseline methods in classification accuracy (reducing the number of false positives by 67% and reducing the number of false negatives by 55%).
Impact of Different Daily Light Integrals and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations on the Growth, Morphology, and Production Efficiency of Tomato Seedlings.

Indoor growing systems with light-emitting diodes offer advantages for the growth of tomato seedlings through uniform and optimized environmental conditions which increase consistency between plants and growing cycles. CO2 enrichment has been shown to improve the yield of crops. Thus, this research aimed to characterize the effects of varied light intensities and CO2 enrichment on the growth, morphology and production efficiency of tomato seedlings in indoor growing systems. Four tomato cultivars, ‘Florida-47 R’, ‘Rebelski’, ‘Maxifort’, and ‘Shin Cheong Gang’, were subjected to three different daily light integrals (DLIs) of 6.5, 9.7, and 13 mol m-2 d-1 with a percent photon flux ratio of 40 blue:60 red and an end-of-day far-red (EOD-FR) treatment of 5 mmol m−2 d−1. The plants were also subjected to three different CO2 concentrations: 448  32 (400-ambient), 1010  45 (1000), and 1568  129 (1600) μmol mol-1. Temperature was maintained at 24.3 °C  0.48/16.8 °C  1.1 (day/dark) (22.4 °C average) and relative humidity at 52.56  8.2%. Plant density was 1000 plants m-2 until canopy closure. Morphological measurements were conducted daily to observe the growth response over time. In addition, data was collected to quantify the effects of each treatment. The results showed increases in growth rate with increases in the DLI and CO2 concentration. In addition, CO2 enrichment to 1000-1600 μmol mol-1 increased the light use efficiency (gDM mol-1 applied) by 38-44%, and CO2 enrichment to 1600 μmol mol-1 did not result in any additional increase on shoot fresh mass, shoot dry mass, and stem extension. However, the net photosynthetic rate obtained with 1600 μmol mol-1 was 31 and 68% higher than those obtained with 1000 and 400 μmol mol-1, respectively. Furthermore, the comparison of the light and CO2 treatment combinations with the control (13 mol m-2 d-1-400CO2) revealed that the plants subjected to 6.5DLI-1600CO2, 9.7DLI-1000CO2, and 9.7DLI-1600CO2 treatment combinations exhibited the same growth rate as the control plants but with 25-50% less DLI. Furthermore, two treatment combinations (13.0DLI-1000CO2 and 13.0DLI-1600CO2) were associated with the consumption of comparable amount of energy but increased plant growth by 24-33%.
Association Between the Proportion of Black Patients Cared for at Hospitals and Financial Penalties Under Value-Based Payment Programs.

This study evaluates whether US hospitals with mostly Black patients are more likely than other hospitals to have penalties associated with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) value-based payment programs.
Religion, spirituality and diurnal rhythms of salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone in postmenopausal women.

Abstract Background Religion and spirituality (R/S) are important resources for coping with stress and are hypothesized to influence health outcomes via modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, though this has not been evaluated extensively. In this study, we examined associations between several measures of religiosity or spirituality (R/S) and three HPA axis biomarkers: cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and cortisol:DHEA ratio. Methods Sample included 216 female postmenopausal Nurses’ Health Study II participants who provided up to five timed saliva samples: immediately upon awakening, 45 min, 4 h, and 10 h after waking, and prior to going to sleep during a single day in 2013. Multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models with piecewise cubic spline functions and adjustment for potential covariates were used to estimate the cross-sectional associations of eight R/S measures with diurnal rhythms of cortisol, DHEA, and the cortisol/DHEA ratio. Results There was little evidence of association between the eight R/S measures analyzed and diurnal rhythms of cortisol, DHEA, and the cortisol/DHEA ratio. Women who reported that R/S was very involved in understanding or dealing with stressful situations had slower night rise in cortisol than those who did not. Greater levels of religious struggles were associated with higher cortisol levels throughout the day. Higher non-theistic daily spiritual experiences scores were associated with slower DHEA night rise, and a higher cortisol/DHEA ratio upon waking and at night. However, these associations were significantly attenuated when we excluded women reporting bedtimes at least 30 min later than usual. Conclusion Observed associations were driven by those with late sleep schedules, and given the number of comparisons made, could be due to chance. Future research using larger, more diverse samples of individuals is needed to better understand the relationship between R/S and HPA axis biomarkers.
Test of Capital Structure Theory and Corporate Risk Management

This research study has attempted to indirectly test the proposition that the probability of corporate failure is mainly related to the unsystematic component of the total risk. The authors conjecture confirms that managing the total cash-flow risk of the firm significantly affects both the systematic and unsystematic components of the cash flow distribution simultaneously which ultimately shows up in a change of the systematic (beta) and unsystematic components of the total equity returns of a leveraged company.
Abstract 59: Antimir Therapy Ameliorates HIF1-mediated Loss of SERCA2 and Cardiac Contractility

Ischemic heart disease is a major precipitant of heart failure in the developed world. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF1) is a highly oxygen-sensitive protein and the principal regulator of hypoxia-...
Identifying Individualized Risk Profiles for Radiotherapy-Induced Lymphopenia Among Patients With Esophageal Cancer Using Machine Learning.

PURPOSERadiotherapy (RT)-induced lymphopenia (RIL) is commonly associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. Using machine learning techniques, a retrospective study was conduc...
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adults in rural Appalachia

Abstract Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is decreasing nationally, yet intakes remain high in certain sub-populations as new varieties of SSBs are introduced. This study aims to expand on SSB intake patterns among adults living in Appalachia to develop policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to reduce consumption. Baseline cohort surveys were conducted to examine beverage consumption patterns of adults in one rural Appalachian county in Kentucky using a validated BEVQ-15 instrument. Ages were collapsed into three generational groups – Millennials (22–38 years), Generation X (39–54 years), and Boomers/Silents (≥55 years). Over half (n = 81; 54%) of the sample (n = 150) were Boomers/Silents. Age was a significant predictor of SSB consumption, with Millennials drinking more daily calories of SSB compared to older adults (329.2 kcal v 157.0 kcal v 134.6 kcal, p = 0.05); a significant amount of those calories coming from non-soda SSBs. Millennials were twice as likely to drink sweetened fruit juice drinks (p = 0.0002) and energy drinks (p = 0.01) daily and consumed six times more daily calories from sweetened fruit juice drinks than the other groups (73.5 kcal v 11.1 kcal v 8.0 kcal, p
Pyrimidine Biosynthetic Enzymes in Rat Intestine After Small Bowel Resection

After small bowel resection in the rat, mucosal hyperplasia and an increase in nucleic acid synthesis and cell proliferation occur in remaining small intestine. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent resection of 50 cm of proximal or distal intestine or sham operation. One month and 6 months after surgery, aspartate transcarbamylase, dihydroorotase, and uridine kinase were assayed in whole mucosa, and, in some instances, in crypt mucosa from the remaining intestinal segment. In control bowel, enzyme activity was significantly greater in proximal compared with distal segments. One month after proximal or distal resection, mucosal enzyme activity per cm of gut was greater in the remnant bowel compared with controls. There was no such difference at 6 months. Specific enzyme activity of whole mucosa did not increase after resection because the assay was influenced by the disproportionately large contribution of villous protein. Specific enzyme activity (including thymidine kinase) of isolated crypt mucosa was significantly increased 1 month after distal resection. In addition, [3H ]thymidine uptake into DNA of crypt mucosa from proximal remnants was also significantly increased. These results indicate that after small bowel resection, the enzymes of pryimidine biosynthesis increase in remaining bowel and parallel the accelerated rate of cell proliferation.
EMMPRIN (CD147) regulation of MMP-9 in bronchial epithelial cells in COPD.

Background and objective: Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN or CD147) induces the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) such as MMP-9, which plays an important role in COPD. We determined its cellular origin and role in MMP-9 production in COPD. Methods: Bronchial biopsies, alveolar macrophages (AM) and blood monocytes (BM) from patients with COPD, healthy smokers and non-smokers, and bronchial epithelial cells (EC) from surgically resected airways from patients with COPD were stimulated with LPS or CRP in the presence and absence of an anti-EMMPRIN blocking antibody. EMMPRIN in BAL, plasma, conditioned media and cell lysates was quantified and immunohistochemical localization of EMMPRIN was determined in bronchial biopsies. MMP-9 activity and mRNA was also determined. Results: EMMPRIN levels in BAL fluid were higher in patients with COPD compared with non-smokers and smokers. There was greater EMMPRIN expression in EC from patients with COPD compared with smokers and non-smokers. EC secreted and expressed more EMMPRIN protein than BM and AM. Blocking EMMPRIN decreased MMP-9 activity in supernatant of EC, but not in those from AM and BM, and decreased MMP-9 mRNA expression in EC. Conclusions: The increased EMMPRIN expression in COPD is reflected by an increased release from bronchial EC, which are one of the main source of EMMPRIN. EMMPRIN regulates MMP-9 expression in COPD.
The role of oxidative stress in nickel and chromate genotoxicity.

Some general principles regarding oxidative stress and molecular responses to toxic metals are presented in this manuscript. The remainder of the manuscript, however, will focus on the role of oxidative stress in particulate nickel-induced genetic damage and mutations. The phagocytosis of particulate nickel compounds and the dissolution of the particles inside the cell and the resulting oxidative stress produced in the nucleus is a key component of the nickel carcinogenic mechanism. The crosslinking of amino acids to DNA by nickel that does not involve direct participation of nickel in a ternary complex but nickel-induced oxidative stress will be discussed as well. The selective ability of particulate nickel compounds to silence the expression of genes located near heterochromatin and the effect of vitamin E on the genotoxicity and mutations induced by particulate and soluble nickel compounds will also be discussed. Particulate nickel compounds have been shown to produce more oxidative stress than water-soluble nickel compounds.
Energy transfer distance measurements in immunoglobulins. III. Location of the light-heavy interchain disulfide bond in rabbit immunoglobulin G antibody.

The distance between the hapten combining site and the light-heavy interchain disulfide bond in the Fab fragment of rabbit immunoglobulin G has been determined by measuring the efficiency of energy transfer between chromophores specifically attached at these sites on the molecule. The donor chromophore, Dns-Lys§, was non-covalently bound in the combining site of the Fab fragment of high-affinity anti-Dns antibody. The acceptor chromophore, fluorescein, was covalently attached by disulfide interchange of racemic DiFlCys with specific sulfhydryls generated by reduction. The presence of acceptor decreased the donor fluorescence lifetime from 23.6 nanoseconds to 21.6 nanoseconds. From the transfer efficiency of 8.4%, an average separation distance of 76 ± 10 A was calculated. However, a statistical analysis of the molar concentrations of donor and acceptor on Fab fragments showed that approximately equal numbers of Fab probably contained donor but no acceptor on the one hand, and both donor and acceptor on the other hand. The presence of the former subpopulation would result in an average measured efficiency of energy transfer that would be too low. Treatment of the decay data by a double-exponential analysis which took account of these two populations of Fab fragments, led to a transfer efficiency of 20% and a correspondingly shorter separation distance of 64 ± 10 A. The latter value is to be preferred. From the results presented here, and those reported previously on the location of the combining site at the tip of the Fab fragment and of the interheavy chain disulfide bond (Bunting & Cathou, 1973), a general summary of the dimensions of rabbit immunoglobulin G Fab is given.
Differential studies on the mechanism of serum androgen and androgen-binding abnormalities in hirsutism.

Abstract Twenty-eight patients with hirsutism were studied. Elevated levels of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (T + DHT) and a decreased dihydrotestosterone precipitation index (DHT-PI) were found in about half the patients studied. The DHT-PI is a sensitive measure of steroid-binding β-globulin (SBβG). The DHT-PI was much more abnormal in patients with oligomenorrhea than in those with regular menses despite similar T + DHT levels. Chronic suppression of T + DHT levels with prednisone in hirsute patients did not normalize the DHT-PI. The addition of Premarin resulted in normalization of the DHT-PI. These findings would favor the hypothesis that the serum androgen-binding protein abnormality in hirsute females is not maintained by significantly increased circulating androgen levels.
Redesigned With Them in Mind: Evaluating an Online Library Information Literacy Tutorial

This study investigates Wayne State University Library System’s redesigned information literacy tutorial: re:Search. Seventy-two students participating in the 2010 Wayne State Federal TRIO Student Support Service Summer Residential Program participated in the questionnaire. The questionnaire measured student learning via a multiple choice knowledge based test. Confidence and satisfaction were also measured using a five point Likert scale. Students received an overall average score of 71% on the knowledge portion and student responses varied on the confidence and satisfaction portions of the questionnaire. Results clearly indicated the necessity for future revisions. The discussion will address the specific revisions being undertaken and the various ways Wayne State University hopes to continue evaluating the tutorial.
What Are You Feeling? Investigating Student Affective States During Expert Human Tutoring Sessions

One-to-one tutoring is an extremely effective method for producing learning gains in students and for contributing to greater understanding and positive attitudes towards learning. However, learning inevitably involves failure and a host of positive and negative affective states. In an attempt to explore the link between emotions and learning this research has collected data on student affective states and engagement levels during high stakes learning in one-to-one expert tutoring sessions. Our results indicate that only the affective states of confusion, happiness, anxious, and frustration occurred at significant levels. We also investigated the extent to which expert tutors adapt their pedagogical and motivational strategies in response to learners' affective and cognitive states.