cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instructional information in adaptive spatial hypertext

Spatial hypertext is an effective medium for the delivery of help and instructional information on the Web. Spatial hypertext's intrinsic features allow documents to visually reflect the inherent structure of the information space and represent implicit relationships between information objects. This work presents a study of the effectiveness of spatial hypertext as medium for delivery of instructional information. Results were gathered based on direct observation of the people reading a spatial hypertext document which was used as informational support for a complex task. Two versions of the spatial hypertext document were used: a non-adaptive and an adaptive. The document was adapted based upon the inferred relevance of information to the user's knowledge and task requirements. The study produced insights on emergent reading strategies such as informed link traversals and the use of collections as bookmarks. Observations and evaluation of how people interacted with both document versions showed that the spatial layout and the use of collections as a way to encapsulate information allowed people to read browse and navigate very large information spaces while maintaining a clear understanding the structure of the information. Finally several differences between the adaptive and non-adaptive versions were identified showing that adaptation alters not only the display of information but the way that people read spatial hypertext document.
Systematic review of digital imaging screening strategies for retinopathy of prematurity.

BACKGROUND. Retinal imaging with remote interpretation could decrease the number of diagnostic eye examinations that premature infants need for the detection of retinopathy of prematurity and thus decrease the time demand on the relatively small pool of ophthalmologists who perform retinopathy of prematurity examinations. OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to review systematically the evidence regarding the reliability, validity, safety, costs, and benefits of retinal imaging to screen infants who are at risk for retinopathy of prematurity. METHODS. We searched Medline, the Cochrane library, CINAHL, and the bibliographies of all relevant articles. All English-language studies regardless of design with primary data about our study questions were included. We excluded (1) studies that only included subjects with retinopathy of prematurity, (2) hypothetical models other than cost-effectiveness studies, and (3) validity studies without sufficient data to determine prevalence, sensitivity, and specificity or that only evaluated subjects for 1 component of retinopathy of prematurity (eg, plus disease only). RESULTS. Studies of only 1 retinal imaging device (RetCam [Clarity Medical Systems, Inc, Pleasanton, CA]) met the inclusion criteria. There was a wide range in reported sensitivity, but specificity was high. There were several important limitations noted, including the eye as the unit of analysis instead of the individual or variations in the criteria for determining a true-positive or true-negative screening result. The risk of retinal hemorrhage resulting from imaging is low, and systemic effects (eg, bradycardia, hypertension, decreased oxygen saturation) are mild. No generalizable cost-effectiveness data were found. CONCLUSIONS. The evidence base is not sufficient to recommend that retinal imaging be routinely adopted by NICUs to identify infants who have serious retinopathy of prematurity.
Modeling the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer

Recently, an invasive Asian beetle known as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Coleoptera: Buprestidae) has emerged as a threat to ash trees in the Midwestern United States and Canada [McCullough, D.G., Katovich, S.A., 2004. Pest Alert: Emerald Ash Borer. United States Forest Service, Northeastern Area. NA-PR-02-04]. Significant infestations in Michigan and nearby areas have all but doomed nearly 1 billion native ash trees. However, surrounding regions may still be able to prevent tree damage from occurring at the scale once inflicted by Dutch elm disease in the 1970s. This paper presents an argument for the establishment of a widely accessible knowledgebase of information on the EABs spread capabilities. We argue that spatial dynamic modeling stands as a flexible and powerful decision support system platform. We present initial simulations of EAB spread scenarios constructed using tree information and land use data collected for DuPage County, IL, an uninfected suburban county in the Chicago metropolitan area. These simulations test policies focused on impeding the costly spread of the beetle. This analysis also presents a framework for further studies assessing the economic impacts on municipalities and counties due to tree removal costs and aesthetic damage. Our work points to human driven movement as the major vector for EAB spread throughout our study area. Here, the focus falls on the ability of state and county implemented firewood quarantines to act as effective policies for slowing EAB spread.
Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease in patients with cancer: A two decade experience in a tertiary care cancer center

Although gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease (GI-CMVd) is not common in cancer patients, it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Herein, we review our 2-decade experience with GI-CMVd in such patient population at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Forty-seven patients were identified. Thirty-four patients (72%) had an underlying haematological malignancy, and 18 patients (38%) developed GI-CMVd following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Nine (25%) of the 36 cancer patients with data available had AIDS. Upper-GI tract involvement was more common in patients with haematological malignancies than in those with solid tumours (P=0.02). Patients with AIDS were more likely to have colonic involvement than were those without AIDS (67% vs. 15%, P=0.006), and patients without AIDS were more likely to have gastric involvement (59% vs. 11%, P=0.01). The CMV-attributable mortality rate was 42%. Independent predictors of death by multivariate analysis included disseminated CMV and AIDS (P<0.01). The presentation of GI-CMVd varies according to the type of cancer, and AIDS. GI-CMVd is associated with a high mortality among cancer patients, particularly those with disseminated CMV disease or AIDS.
Prototype antenna elements for the next-generation TDRS enhanced multiple-access array

This paper summarizes a study performed to produce prototype antenna elements for the next-generation enhanced Tracking and Data Relay Satellite Continuation (TDRS-C) multiple-access (MA) S-band phased-array antenna. Compared to the multiple-access antenna on the current class of TORS, the enhanced multiple-access antenna requires elements that achieve greater on-axis gain, simultaneous circular polarization capability, and increased beamwidth. To demonstrate that array elements could be realized meeting these requirements, designs that were successful in simulation were fabricated and tested. These included a helical antenna; a novel short backfire antenna, excited with a circular waveguide (cup waveguide) with integrated polarizer and orthomode transducer (OMT); and a corrugated-horn antenna with integrated polarizer and OMVT. The paper describes the design process for the novel elements, and compares measured and simulated results. It also compares the elements in terms of performance, size, and mass.
Effects of short-term inactivity on glucose tolerance, energy expenditure, and blood flow in trained subjects

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of 7–10 days of inactivity (IA) on glucose tolerance (GT), resting metabolic rate (RMR), thermic effect of a meal (TEM), and limb blood ...
Noninvasive Ventilation for Acute Respiratory Failure: A National Survey of Veterans Affairs Hospitals

BACKGROUND: The utilization of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in the Veterans Affairs health-care system is not well characterized. A survey of physicians and respiratory therapists was conducted to better understand its use. METHODS: Three hospitals in each of 21 Veterans Affairs networks were selected based on severity of patient mix, level of staffing and workload. A request was sent via e-mail to Veterans Affairs respiratory therapists and critical care physicians at these hospitals to complete a 41-question survey using an Internet-based survey site. RESULTS: A total of 192/882 (22) responses were received from a survey of about half (63/128) of the Veterans Affairs intensive care units (ICUs). Previous experience and training in NIV was limited. NIV is reported to be widely available and applied in both monitored (ICU, step-down, emergency department) and unmonitored (ward) settings. NIV was identified as a first-line option for COPD and CHF, but perceived use was less. Sixty-four percent of respiratory therapists felt NIV was used 10 patients a month. Larger ICUs reported more frequent use of NIV (> 10 patients a month) than smaller ICUs (P = .02). Written guidelines were noted by 65%, but only 27% had titration guidelines. The perceived efficacy of NIV was low, with a success rate of > 50% noted by only 29% of respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The perception of NIV use in the Veterans Affairs hospitals varies significantly. This survey revealed a wide range of training and experience, location of use, presence of written guidelines, and methods of delivery. Notable perceptual differences exist between respiratory therapists and physicians. Underutilization of NIV and low rates of perceived efficacy are major findings.
Treatment of recalcitrant granuloma annulare (GA) with adalimumab: A single-center, observational study

Background Generalized or disseminated granuloma annulare (GA) is therapeutically challenging. Adalimumab, a tumor necrosis factor-α antagonist, has recently been used to treat GA. Objective We sought to evaluate adalimumab's efficacy in treating GA. Methods We identified 7 patients with physician-verified GA who were treated with adalimumab. Primary endpoints were improvements in GA Investigator Global Assessment score and body surface area. Secondary end points included erythema and induration improvement. Results Seven adults, ages 51 to 77 years, were included. All patients' GA Investigator Global Assessment scores improved by 2 or greater. We found significant improvements in body surface area, erythema, and induration (average improvements by 87%, 88%, and 95%, respectively). Two patients required increases in adalimumab frequency. Two others noted GA recurrence; 1 restarted adalimumab and cleared again. Adverse events were minimal. Limitations Conclusions are limited because of small sample size and observational nature of the study. Conclusion Our results suggest that adalimumab could be an effective and well-tolerated treatment for GA. It is a particularly attractive therapy for patients who have generalized or disseminated GA.
A Novel Use of Structural Equation Models to Examine Factors Associated With Prediabetes Among Adults Aged 50 Years and Older: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2006

OBJECTIVE To use structural modeling to test a hypothesized model of causal pathways related with prediabetes among older adults in the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional study of 2,230 older adults (≥50 years) without diabetes included in the morning fasting sample of the 2001–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Demographic data included age, income, marital status, race/ethnicity, and education. Behavioral data included physical activity (metabolic equivalent hours per week for vigorous or moderate muscle strengthening, walking/biking, and house/yard work), and poor diet (refined grains, red meat, added sugars, solid fats, and high-fat dairy). Structural-equation modeling was performed to examine the interrelationships among these variables with family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, BMI, large waist (waist circumference: women, ≥35 inches; men, ≥40 inches), triglycerides ≥200 mg/dL, and total and HDL (≥60 mg/dL) cholesterol. RESULTS After dropping BMI and total cholesterol, our best-fit model included three single factors: socioeconomic position (SEP), physical activity, and poor diet. Large waist had the strongest direct effect on prediabetes (0.279), followed by male sex (0.270), SEP (−0.157), high blood pressure (0.122), family history of diabetes (0.070), and age (0.033). Physical activity had direct effects on HDL (0.137), triglycerides (−0.136), high blood pressure (−0.132), and large waist (−0.067); poor diet had direct effects on large waist (0.146) and triglycerides (0.148). CONCLUSIONS Our results confirmed that, while including factors known to be associated with high risk of developing prediabetes, large waist circumference had the strongest direct effect. The direct effect of SEP on prediabetes suggests mediation by some unmeasured factor(s).
LOS ANGELES I-10 FIELD EXPERIMENT: INCIDENT PATTERNS

The Los Angeles I-10 field experiment has produced a large, comprehensive database on incidents and freeway traffic flow characteristics. Field data on incidents were collected through observations of probe vehicle drivers over a 12.5-km (7.8-mi) freeway section. Supplementary information was collected from the California Highway Patrol computeraided dispatch (CHP/CAD) system and freeway service patrol logs. The incident patterns at the study area are described, and the major factors affecting incident frequency and duration are identified. Comparisons of the findings with other databases are discussed. The effects of incidents on traffic flow are also investigated using the empirical data to determine the proportion and characteristics of delay-causing incidents.
Testosterone and UVL‐B stimulation of epidermal melanocytes in rat scrotal skin

The effects of UVL-B and/or testosterone replacement therapy are compared in normal and castrated rats in order to determine whether testosterone is required for UVL-B (280-315 nm) stimulation of melanogenesis in the testosterone-dependent epidermal melanocyte system of the scrotal skin of black Long Evans rats. Testosterone is not a prerequisite for UVL-B stimulation of melanocytes as in both castrates and normal animals the melanocytes respond to UVL-B by increases in size, length and number of dendrites (dendriticness), and tyrosinase activity (intensity of Dopa reaction). Addition of testosterone to castrates does enhance the effects of UVL-B. However, UVL-B with or without testosterone cannot maintain normal melanogenesis in rats irradiated immediately after castration nor can it restore normal melanogenesis following long term castration. Both the amount of UVL energy/exposure and the number of exposures are important variables in stimulation of the epidermal melanocytes. Administration of a dose of UVL-B to castrates in a single exposure is ineffective, while the same overall dose spread over several exposures increases the size and dendriticness of melanocytes. Testosterone and UVL-B act synergistically in affecting melanogenesis although neither singly nor in combination are they able to fully restore normal melanogenesis.
Signals or Noise? Explaining the Variation in Recreation Benefit Estimates

This paper uses meta analysis to summarize the benefit estimates derived from travel cost recreation demand models. After reviewing approximately 200 published and unpublished studies prepared from 1970 to 1986, 77 were found to report either consumer surplus estimates or sufficient information to derive them. Using these estimates of the consumer surplus per unit of use from each study, it was possible to evaluate the influence of variables describing the site characteristics, the activities undertaken at each site, the behavioral assumptions, and the specification decisions. The findings provide clear support for using econometric methods to summarize results from diverse empirical studies. They highlight the important research issues in model development and offer a consistency check to the procedures used in benefit transfer analyses for policy evaluations.
Synapse-specific and size-dependent mechanisms of spine structural plasticity accompanying synaptic weakening

Refinement of neural circuits in the mammalian cerebral cortex shapes brain function during development and in the adult. However, the signaling mechanisms underlying the synapse-specific shrinkage and loss of spiny synapses when neural circuits are remodeled remain poorly defined. Here, we show that low-frequency glutamatergic activity at individual dendritic spines leads to synapse-specific synaptic weakening and spine shrinkage on CA1 neurons in the hippocampus. We found that shrinkage of individual spines in response to low-frequency glutamate uncaging is saturable, reversible, and requires NMDA receptor activation. Notably, shrinkage of large spines additionally requires signaling through metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), supported by higher levels of mGluR signaling activity in large spines. Our results support a model in which signaling through both NMDA receptors and mGluRs is required to drive activity-dependent synaptic weakening and spine shrinkage at large, mature dendritic spines when neural circuits undergo experience-dependent modification.
Naturalistic stimulation drives opposing heterosynaptic plasticity at two inputs to songbird cortex

This study examines how key inputs to a brain area vital for song production can interact cooperatively to change each other. The authors show that naturalistic stimulation patterns drive bidirectional in vitro plasticity in synaptic inputs to a song production area, and use this understanding to manipulate song plasticity in vivo.
Present and Absent

Jerusalem is a place where memory, colonizing power, and historical invention have interacted in myriad ways through successive waves of foreign domination. As the primary site of contest and confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis since 1948, Jerusalem has become an urban center where an intense conflict between competing national imaginations rages. The politics of monuments in Jerusalem is part and parcel of the construction of history and has served a vital role in producing the past in a contested land.
Reconstructive surgery in children with azotemic osteodystrophy.

Current techniques of medical management have extended the lives of many uremie children. Five patients with azotemic osteodystrophy are reported, four of whom underwent successful reconstructive orthopaedic surgery. The selection of patients with azotemic osteodystrophy for surgery includes considerations of life expectancy, effectiveness of medical management in controlling the metabolic bone disease, surgical risk, and the amenability of the orthopaedic disorder to definitive surgical procedures. Successful operative management of these patients requires careful and close medical supervision by physicians skilled in the treatment of uremia. The management of some specific paraoperative problems requires the close cooperation of surgeon, anesthetist, and pediatrician. Bone healing time was normal in these patients.
Architectural overview of the HP Exemplar V-Class Technical Server

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an architectural overview of the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Exemplar V-Class Technical Server. The Exemplar Technical Servers from HP address major computing challenges like compute, file, product data management, storage and intranet applications, and range from the entry-level systems to the high-end supercomputing level systems. The systems of the Exemplar product line possess very high scalability in terms of performance and the ability to provide consistent price/performance over the entire range of each product line. They also possess consistent programming model. All of these systems, regardless of the performance levels, present the same application programming environment. The first generation, the Exemplar SPPlx00 family with the models SPP1000, SPP1200, SPP1600, pioneered the use of a highly scalable operating system combined with a global shared memory (GSM) programming environment. The V-Class offers improved performance by employing the PA8200 processor, HP’s latest RISC CPU, and increased functionality by running native HP-UX 11.0, a full 64-bit implementation of UNIX. HP’s PA-8200 processor that delivers currently 800 MFLOPS (millions of floating operations per second) at 200 MHz is used in the Exemplar V-Class server. This processor offers up to 4-way superscalar processing yielding 4 operations per clock.
Cyhexatin and fenbutatin-oxide resistance in Pacific spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae): stability and mode of inheritance.

The Pacific spider mite, Tetranychus pacificus McGregor, collected from California almond orchards during 1984 and 1985, was tested with cyhexatin and fenbutatin-oxide to determine whether resistance (R) to these acaricides was present. A cyhexatin resistant colony was selected in the greenhouse with cyhexatin for 15 mo to obtain a pure colony for genetic analysis. Mode-of-inheritance data were consistent with a model in which cyhexatin resistance in this colony is primarily determined by a major semirecessive gene. A flowable formulation of cyhexatin was more toxic to both R and susceptible (S) strains than was the wettable powder formulation. Larvae of the R and 5 strains exhibited survival rates similar to those of adults. Concentration/mortality lines for both fenbutatin-oxide and cyhexatin were obtained for both R and S strains; results were consistent with the hypothesis that cyhexatin resistance confers fenbutatin-oxide resistance in this population. Greenhouse populations held for 9 mo without selection with cyhexatin retained their original resistance levels, as indicated by the percent survival of colonies initiated from RR, SR, RS, and SS females. Negative fitness did not appear to be associated with the resistance allele under these conditions.
The female reproductive tract: congenital concerns.

The incidence and prevalence of conditions of the reproductive tract varies. This is related to both the complexity and spectrum of underlying and associated conditions. In some cases, only retrospective or case data are available, and likely under-reporting occurs, contributing to a lower than expected prevalence. Given the complex nature in which the reproductive tract develops in the fetus, it is important to understand the embryology, especially in situations of congenital anatomic differences. It is interesting to note not only patterns of conditions, but patterns of concurrent conditions or anomalies such as those occurring with isolated Mullerian anomalies, in conjunction with disorders of sexual differentiation or with cloacal malformations. This review will address typical presentation of these conditions, highlights of management and point to areas of research need, including clinical outcomes and genetic implications.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effect of Peer Education on AIDS Prevention in Mobile Population

Objective To systematically evaluate the effect of peer education on AIDS prevention in mobile population so as to provide a theoretical foundation for the prevention of AIDS in the future. Methods All related literatures at home and aboard were collected from different databases and non-compliant literatures were excluded according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then,the qualified literatures were comprehensively and quantitatively evaluated by the RevMan 4.2 to do meta-analysis. Results After the intervention, rate difference(RD)and 95% CI of knowledge about "The apparently healthy person may be an HIV infected one" of the mobile population increased by 37%(95%CI:0.23~0.50); RD and 95% CI of knowledge about the effect of condoms for HIV prevention increased by 27%(95%CI:0.20~0.34);RD and 95% CI of knowledge about "To reduce the spread of AIDS by keeping a single partner" increased by 18%(95%CI:0.03~0.32). Conclusion Peer education is helpful to improve the mobile population's awareness of AIDS and promote them to take protected sex.
Determination of Ten N-Nitrosoamino Acids in Cured Meat Products

A rapid, sensitive, and accurate solid-phase extraction method was developed for the measurement of 10 N-nitrosoamino acids (NAAs) in cured meat products. In the procedure, the comminuted meat was mixed with sulfamic acid and Celite, and then added to a glass column containing anhydrous sodium sulfate. The column was washed with pentane, and the NAAs were eluted with ethyl acetate. The eluate was concentrated, then derivatized with diazomethane followed by acetic anhydride-pyridine reagent. The NAA methyl esters and their acylated hydroxy derivatives were separated by gas chromatography on a DB-5 fused silica capillary column and quantitated with a thermal energy analyzer, a chemiluminescence detector specific for nitric oxide derived from the thermal denitrosation of nitrosamines. Recovery of 10 of the NAAs exceeded 75% at the 10 ppb level. The method is applicable to a wide range of cured meat products.
Verapamil corrects abnormalities in norepinephrine metabolism of brain synaptosomes in CRF

Abnormalities in norepinephrine (NE) metabolism of brain synaptosomes occur in chronic renal failure (CRF), and this has been attributed to the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced accumulation of calcium in synaptosomes. The present study examined the effect of treatment with the calcium-channel blocker verapamil on NE content, release, and uptake, on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, and on calcium content of brain synaptosomes from rats with 21 days of CRF. Verapamil treatment of normal rats for 21 days did not affect synaptosomal NE content, release, or uptake, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, or calcium content. Rats with 21 days of CRF displayed a significant (P less than 0.01) reduction in their synaptosomal NE content, release, and uptake, an increase in Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, and a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in calcium content of synaptosomes. The treatment of CRF rats with verapamil normalized synaptosomal NE content and release and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, produced a significant (P less than 0.01) improvement in NE uptake, and prevented the accumulation of calcium in synaptosomes. The data of the present study are consistent with the notion that the abnormalities in synaptosomal NE metabolism and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in CRF are mainly the result of PTH-induced accumulation of calcium in synaptosomes and could be prevented by a calcium-channel blocker.
Metformin Limits Loss of Mitochondrial Respiration Seen With Doxorubicin Treatment Without Affecting Muscle Function

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a commonly-used chemotherapeutic drug with a well characterized side effect of skeletal muscle wasting and weakness. It has been shown that DOX contributes to skeletal muscle d...
Microenvironment mediated alterations to metabolic pathways confer increased chemo-resistance in CD133 + tumor initiating cells

// Alice Nomura 1, 2 , Patricia Dauer 1, 2 , Vineet Gupta 1, 2 , Olivia McGinn 1 , Nivedita Arora 1 , Kaustav Majumdar 1 , Charles Uhlrich III 1 , Joseph Dalluge 3 , Vikas Dudeja 1, 2 , Ashok Saluja 1, 2 , Sulagna Banerjee 1, 2 1 Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA 2 Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA 3 Department of Chemistry, Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA Correspondence to: Sulagna Banerjee, email: Sulagna.Banerjee@med.miami.edu Keywords: CD133, tumor initiating cells, metabolism, hypoxia, ROS Received: April 25, 2016 Accepted: July 10, 2016 Published: July 26, 2016 ABSTRACT Chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer has been attributed to tumor-initiating cells (TICs), a minor sub-population of tumor cells. However, the mechanism of chemo-resistance in these cells is still unclear. In the current study, immunohistochemical analysis of LSL-Kras G12D ; LSL-Trp53 R172H; PdxCre (KPC) murine tumors indicated that hypoxic regions developed through tumor progression. This hypoxic “niche” correlated with increased CD133 + population that had an increased HIF1A activity. Consistent with this observation, CD133 + cells had increased glucose uptake and activity of glycolytic pathway enzymes compared to CD133 − cells. Mass spectrometric analysis (UPLC-TQD) following metabolic labeling of CD133 + cells with [ 13 C]-U6 glucose confirmed this observation. Furthermore, although both populations had functionally active mitochondria, CD133 + cells had low mitochondrial complex I and complex IV activity and lesser accumulation of ROS in response to standard chemotherapeutic compounds like paclitaxel, 5FU and gemcitabine. CD133 + cells also showed increased resistance to all three chemotherapeutic compounds and treatment with Glut1 inhibitor (STF31) reversed this resistance, promoting apoptotic death in these cells similar to CD133 − cells. Our study indicates that the altered metabolic profile of CD133 + pancreatic TIC protects them against apoptosis, by reducing accumulation of ROS induced by standard chemotherapeutic agents, thereby confering chemoresistance. Since resistance to existing chemotherapy contributes to the poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer, our study paves the way for identifying novel therapeutic targets for managing chemoresistance and tumor recurrence in pancreatic cancer.
Chapter 1 – Basic Evolutionary Theory

This chapter provides a cursory view of the basic principles of modern evolutionary theory. The major topics treated include the origin and nature of genetic variation, effects of genetic drift and various forms of natural selection on phenotypic traits and the genetic constitution of populations, fitness and its components, models of adaptation, levels of selection, the origin of species by speciation, and some aspects of macroevolution, chiefly phylogenies, evolutionary trends and diversification, gradualism, and the role of development in phenotypic evolution.
Failing and the Seven Seas? Somali Piracy in Global Perspective

This article reconciles the conflicting evidence on the relationship between governance and maritime piracy at the macro (state) and micro (sub-state) level using original data (2000–2011) and a study of piracy’s emergence in and around the Horn of Africa. It finds a consistent, positive relationship between state weakness and increased piracy production cross-nationally. However, Somali piracy belies the “anarchy as opportunity” mechanism implied by the large- N study. The pirate industry there received substantial support from local authorities, more consistent with a quadratic, “stability-enabled” argument regarding governance. I conclude that each is half-right. At the macro level, anarchy presents permissive conditions for simple banditry, but limits the potential for robust organized crime unless corruptible sub-state authorities exist and can be co-opted. Policy-wise, efficient pirate deterrence programs should concentrate on regions within failed states with this mix of characteristics. Methodologically, the results point to the limitations of existing metrics of state fragility and governance, and recommend that more nuanced measures be used.
Optimising the anionisation of cotton with 3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxy‐1‐propanesulphonic acid sodium salt for dyeing with basic dyes

To enable the dyeing of cotton with basic dyes, cotton fabrics were anionised using 3-chloro-2-hydroxy-1-propanesulphonic acid sodium salt (CHPSAS). The anionisation efficiency of three typical textile processing application methods has been investigated, including cold pad-batch, pad-dry-cure, and pad-steam. To obtain the highest CHPSAS anionisation efficiency and dye uptake with basic dyes, the influence of CHPSAS concentration as well as molar ratio between CHPSAS and NaOH was evaluated. Additionally, various kinds of basic dye were applied to examine further the dyeability of the anionised cotton.
High-radix silicon photonic switches

We review the state of the art of silicon photonic switches, with an emphasis on their scalabilities. We also describe a high-radix MEMS-actuated silicon photonic switch that is scalable to hundreds of ports.
Beyond audition: tangible alternatives for nonvisual computer interaction

Today's model for computer interaction, one built around the coordinated use of mouse, keyboard, and graphical display, has been optimized for visual interaction since its inception nearly forty years ago. The transition from the textual interfaces of early desktop computing to the graphical user interface brought with it new challenges of access for individuals with a range of visual impairments[3]. Although researchers within HCI and beyond have introduced a multitude of answers to these challenges [8, 19], few have found their way into everyday use by the visually impaired community [30, 6, 7]. Ubicomp offers particularly compelling options for additional modalities that can better assist users with visual impairments.
FLEXTIME COMMUTERS AND THEIR DRIVER STRESS, FEELINGS OF TIME URGENCY, AND COMMUTE SATISFACTION

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a flextime-working environment on driver stress, feelings of time urgency, and commute satisfaction for commuters in a large-city environment. It was hypothesized that, regardless of gender, commuters with flextime would have less driver stress, fewer feelings of time urgency, and more commute satisfaction. The study was conducted using one hundred and twenty-five full-time employed commuters from Atlanta, Georgia, the city with the largest average commute distance in the world. Results showed that the commuters with flextime reported less driver stress and fewer feelings of time urgency than those without flextime. Significant differences were not found for commute satisfaction. Gender did not appear to be a significant factor in determining driver stress, time urgency, or commute satisfaction.
The Arc as Part of an Electric Circuit

When an electric arc is inserted as part of an electric circuit (made for instance of power supplies, passive elements, motors, etc.), the latter must meet certain requirements and exhibits certain behaviors impossible to reproduce (except by very elaborate simulation) in the absence of the arc.
Mechanisms of hormone carcinogenesis: Evolution of views, role of mitochondria

Cumulative and excessive exposure to estrogens is associated with increased breast cancer risk. The traditional mechanism explaining this association is that estrogens affect the rate of cell division and apoptosis and thus manifest their effect on the risk of breast cancer by affecting the growth of breast epithelial tissues. Highly proliferative cells are susceptible to genetic errors during DNA replication. The action of estrogen metabolites offers a complementary genotoxic pathway mediated by the generation of reactive estrogen quinone metabolites that can form adducts with DNA and generate reactive oxygen species through redox cycling. In this chapter, we discussed a novel mitochondrial pathway mediated by estrogens and their cognate estrogen receptors (ERs) and its potential implications in estrogen-dependent carcinogenesis. Several lines of evidence are presented to show: (1) mitochondrial localization of ERs in human breast cancer cells and other cell types; (2) a functional role for the mitochondrial ERs in regulation of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) proteins and (3) potential implications of the mitochondrial ER-mediated pathway in stimulation of cell proliferation, inhibition of apoptosis and oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA. The possible involvement of estrogens and ERs in deregulation of mitochondrial bioenergetics, an important hallmark of cancer cells, is also described. An evolutionary view is presented to suggest that persistent stimulation by estrogens through ER signaling pathways of MRC proteins and energy metabolic pathways leads to the alterations in mitochondrial bioenergetics and contributes to the development of estrogen-related cancers.
Exploiting human Tregs’ sweet tooth to improve cancer immunotherapy

TLR8 activation enhances cancer immunotherapy by reprograming of glucose metabolism in regulatory T cells.
Intended and Unintended Consequences of Warning Messages: A Review and Synthesis of Empirical Research:

The authors review the diverse literature on the effects of product warnings. They conclude that warnings inform rather than persuade consumers and consumers selectively attend to warning messages....
Innovative Tools to Support Family Caregivers of Persons with Cancer: The Role of Information Technology.

Abstract Objectives To describe the current evidence of studies examining the use of information technology for family caregivers of persons with cancer. We highlight emerging technologies and trends and discuss ethical and practical implications. Data Sources Review scientific studies and systematic reviews of technology use to support caregivers of persons with cancer. Conclusion The evidence base is growing; however, more studies are needed to test the effectiveness of technology. Implications for Nursing Practice Several tools have potential to provide support to family caregivers but the selection of such tools needs to address access, privacy, interoperability, and usability considerations.
Cambridge University Library L1 1 14, F. 46r–v: A Late Medieval Natural Scientist at Work

Many catalogues of animals and sounds exist in medieval glossaries, poems, or other types of text. Most descend from a list associated with Polemius Silvius, one associated with Phocas, one associated with Aldhelm, or one associated with the poem De Philomela. Some are mixtures, editions even, of lists from multiple sources. One such text in Cambridge University Library shows a 'scientist' using scientific methods to classify and organize linguistic material.
Consumer responses to framing statements preceding the major risk statement in prescription drug DTC TV ads.

Abstract Background Research on the major risk statement in direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug television ads has shown that risk severity and actionability can affect consumers' risk comprehension and perceptions. A framing statement presented just before the major risk statement may serve as a cue that directs attention to the risk statement that follows, or it may guide consumers’ interpretation of the severity of the risks that follow. Objective Examine how the use of different framing statements (severe, life-threatening; serious; or basic) that precede the major risk statement in DTC television ads affect consumers’ risk perceptions, risk recognition, benefit perceptions, interest in the drug, and other relevant outcomes. Methods An online experiment was conducted using a 1 × 3 between-subjects design to compare three different framing statements, which was replicated across three different DTC television ads that focused on different medical conditions (arthritis, lung cancer, and type 2 diabetes). A sample of US adults (N = 1961) was randomly assigned to view one of nine television ads and asked to respond to a questionnaire. Results The type of framing statement had significant effects on perceived risk severity, perceived utility of risk and benefit information, fear of risks, and perceived likelihood of explicit and implicit benefits. Conclusions Consumers pay attention to and use cues to process and interpret the risk information presented to them in DTC television ads. Using lead-in language that describes risk severity, particularly for products with severe, life-threatening risks, may better allow consumers to make evaluative judgments on risk severity in DTC ads than stating the drug can cause serious reactions or simply that reactions are possible. More work is needed to examine the factors that affect people's understanding of the nature of risk severity, particularly with regard to risk recognition.
A multi-center phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of palbociclib in combination with carboplatin for the treatment of unresectable recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Background Palbociclib is a selective inhibitor of CDK4/6 approved in metastatic breast cancer as well as evidence of activity in malignancies with CDK4-amplifications. Extensive preclinical evidence has demonstrated synergy of CDK4/6 inhibitors with platinum chemotherapy suggesting a potential role for clinical synthetic lethality. Given the sensitivity to platinum therapy as well as the landscape of genomic alterations, concurrent treatment with platinum chemotherapy and palbociclib is of significant interest as a novel treatment approach. Patients and Methods Patients with unresectable, recurrent, or metastatic head and neck cancer (R/M HNC) were enrolled. Eligible patients were required to have no previous treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy in the recurrent/metastatic setting. This was a multicenter phase II trial in which patients were administered carboplatin in addition to concurrent palbociclib. The primary endpoint of this trial was 12-week disease control rate (DCR). Results Twenty-one patients were enrolled and 18 were evaluable for response. Grade 3/4 treatment related toxicities were seen in 79% of patients of which the most common were related to myelosuppression. 12-week DCR was 33% (5 patients with stable disease, 1 with a partial response). Median progression free survival was 2.9 months (range: 1.2–13.3) and overall survival was 4.6 months (range: 1.4–14.8). Conclusion The combination of carboplatin and palbociclib is associated with significant treatment related toxicity and insufficient anti-tumor activity.
Reporting Outcomes of Treatment for Periprosthetic Joint Infection of the Knee and Hip Together With a Minimum 1-Year Follow-Up is Reliable.

Abstract Background Although there is an increasing trend toward reporting the outcome of hip and knee arthroplasty separately, it remains unknown whether joint-specific reporting is necessary for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) as sample sizes are already low, given its relatively rare occurrence. The aim of this study is to compare treatment outcomes of PJI occurring after knee and hip arthroplasty. Furthermore, we aim to establish the necessary follow-up time for an accurate reporting of PJI treatment outcomes. Methods A retrospective study of 792 cases of hip and knee PJI treated with irrigation and debridement or two-stage exchange arthroplasty from 2000 to 2017 was performed. Treatment failure was defined based on the Delphi method–based criteria. The Kaplan-Meier survivorship curves were generated, and a log-rank test was used to evaluate differences in survivorship. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression and a sensitivity analysis using propensity matching were performed. A two-piecewise linear regression model was used to examine the threshold effect of time after treatment on survival rates. Results There were no significant differences between hip and knee PJIs in overall survivorship (P = .71), or when stratified by irrigation and debridement (P = .39), or two-stage exchange arthroplasty (P = .59). There was also no difference by joint in the multivariate or sensitivity analysis. Survival rates had the most dramatic rates of decrease in the initial months after treatment of PJI but began to plateau after 1.09 years. Conclusion This study reveals no difference in treatment outcomes between knee and hip PJIs. In addition, given the difficulty with obtaining follow-up, we suggest that one-year follow-up is sufficient for an accurate reporting of treatment failure.
“He wants to get rid of all the Muslims”: Mexican American and Muslim students’ use of history regarding candidate Trump

This study employs a multiple case study approach to examine the use of history of Mexican American and Muslim middle school students vis-a-vis Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. The findin...
A YouTube Dataset with User-level Usage Data: Baseline Characteristics and Key Insights

YouTube is the most popular video sharing platform with more than 2 billion active users and 1 billion hours of video content watched daily. The dominance of YouTube has had a big impact on the performance of Internet protocols, algorithms, and systems. Understanding the interaction of users with YouTube is thus of much interest to the research community. In this context, we collect YouTube watch history data from 243 users spanning a 1.5 year period. The dataset comprises of a total of 1.8 million videos. We use the dataset to analyze and present key insights about user-level usage behavior. We also show that our analysis can be used by researchers to tackle a myriad of problems in the general domains of networking and communication. We present baseline characteristics and also substantiated directions to solve a few representative problems related to local caching techniques, prefetching strategies, the performance of YouTube's recommendation engine, the variability of user's video preferences and application specific load provisioning.
Automated generation of materialized views in Oracle

Automated generation of a right set of materialized views is a challenging task. It is a highly desirable feature for autonomous databases. The selection of materialized views must be based on cost and verifiable in the actual database environment. This paper describes an automated system that generates, selects, verifies, and maintains materialized views in the Oracle RDBMS; it presents a novel technique, called the extended covering sub-expression algorithm, for the automated generation of materialized views. An extensive set of experiments is described that demonstrates the feasibility and efficiency of this approach. This system has been fully implemented and is going to be deployed on the Oracle Autonomous Database on the Cloud.
Lattice Resonances in Metasurfaces Composed of Silicon Nano-Cylinders

We investigate lattice resonances (LRs) in metasurfaces (MSs), composed of silicon nano-cylinders. It is revealed that LRs can be detected through concentration of fields at specific locations in the gaps between nano-cylinders. Formation of LRs appears to significantly modify the resonance responses of MSs, transforming elementary responses into collective phenomena. Their contribution in red-shifting of resonances at increasing the lattice constants and in phenomena, associated with Rayleigh anomalies, are discussed.