cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual fluorescence and electrochemical detection on an electrophoresis microchip.

Simultaneous amperometric and fluorescence detection in a microfabricated electrophoresis chip is reported. Detection limits of 448 nM and 1.52, 16, and 28 μM have been achieved for dopamine, catechol, NBD−arginine, and NBD−phenylalanine, respectively. These two orthogonal detection schemes allow analysis of a wider spectrum of compounds per separation, leading to higher throughput and enabling resolution of two neutral analytes, NBD−arginine and catechol. In addition, insight into the detection and separation mechanisms is realized. Differences in migration time and peak widths between the two detectors are compared, providing a better understanding of detector alignment. A common problem encountered in electrophoresis is run-to-run migration time irreproducibility for certain samples. This novel microchip dual detection system has been utilized to reduce this irreproducibility. An unknown sample is monitored with one detector while a standard (i.e., ladder) is added to the sample and monitored simultane...
Maturation or differentiation of human thymocyte precursors in vitro

Abstract The differentiation or maturation potential of human thymocyte precursors has been studied by using a population of CD3/TCR-, CD4-, CD8- ("triple negative") thymocytes isolated by negative selection (TCR, T-cell receptor). This cell population, however, also contained 30-50% previously undescribed cells expressing very low levels of CD3/TCR gamma delta (CD3/TCR gamma delta low; approximately 60% of which expressed the variable region gene V delta 1). Correspondingly, TCR gamma and TCR delta gene rearrangements (predominantly V delta 1/joining region J delta 1) and full-length TCR gamma and TCR delta transcripts (but only immature TCR beta and no TCR alpha mRNAs) were found. These cells mobilized Ca2+ in response to ligation of CD3 but not following ligation of TCR gamma delta. When cultured in the presence of interleukin 7 or interleukin 2, these thymocytes gave rise to 30-60% CD3/TCR gamma delta medium and high cells (60-70% expressing V delta 1) seen as discrete populations. Thus, the proportion and V delta phenotype of in vitro generated CD3/TCR gamma delta cells closely resembled those of CD3/TCR gamma delta low cells in freshly isolated "thymocyte precursor" preparations. Small numbers of TCR alpha beta + cells also appeared. It is thus uncertain whether maturation, differentiation, or both account for the appearance of mature CD3/TCR+ thymocytes, although the former appears most likely.
Toward A Stress Scale for African–American Women:

The current study seeks to understand the nature of stress among African–American women and to develop a preliminary stress measure for this population. The African–American Women's Stress Scale (AWSS) was derived by eliciting stressors from 47 African–American women. AWSS stressors reflect economic, role and relationship, work-related, and ethnic issues, and nearly half are ongoing situations rather than change events. The ability of the AWSS to relate to depression was examined in a second, nonoverlapping sample (n = 68). Correlational analysis indicated correlations of .58–.70 between depression scores and scores on the AWSS. Findings provide support for the utility of the AWSS and underscore the inadequacy of stress models that are based on change or undesirable change.
Pit-1 exhibits a unique promoter spacing requirement for activation and synergism

The developmentally regulated Pit-1 transcription factor is involved in the activation of prolactin, growth hormone, and TSHβ expression. Using templates with spacing mutations to program an in vitro transcription system, the activity of a single Pit-1 proximal binding site within the rat prolactin promoter was shown to have a unique bimodal distance requirement. Transcription activity rapidly decreased with each 5-base pair (bp) addition to the spacing between the binding site and the TATA box. When positioned 20 bp upstream from its normal −36 position in the prolactin promoter, the activity of the Pit-1 binding site is reduced to basal levels. Placement of the site at a position 30 bp upstream resulted in a return of Pit-1-mediated activation. Using transient transfection assays in GH3 cells, the prime bimodal sites are also a requirement for optimum expression of chimeric prolactin-luciferase reporter constructs. Interestingly, optimal synergism of transcription in vivo by the prolactin distal enhancer, containing four Pit-1 binding sites and an estrogen-responsive element, is also sensitive to the placement of the proximal Pit-1 binding site. These data have important implications for Pit-1 activator function in pituitary cells and for general models of transcription synergism.
The activation loop in Lck regulates oncogenic potential by inhibiting basal kinase activity and restricting substrate specificity.

The activation loop in Lck regulates oncogenic potential by inhibiting basal kinase activity and restricting substrate specificity
A geographer's analysis of hub-and-spoke networks☆

Abstract Hubs, as discussed in this paper, are special nodes that are part of a network , located in such a way as to facilitate connectivity between interacting places. Hubs are examined from the spatial organization viewpoint: that is, the linkages, hinterlands, and hierarchies formed by hub-and-spoke networks are described. Features of the hub-and-spoke system that make them different from basic facility location problems are emphasized. Special attention is paid to the contrasts between air passenger and air express freight applications. The paper discusses various broad types of models that are appropriate for network analysis. The paper includes a simulation exercise with a hypothetical network. The data are for interactions between 100 city pairs in the US, and the characteristic features of the hub network under three alternatives scenarios are developed. Although there is not a perfect correspondence between any of these models and the ‘reality’ of actual air freight and air passenger nets, a rudimentary matching is suggested. The single hub allocation model would be an especially inconvenient network for passengers, but might be ideal for regional freight or communications systems. The multiple assignment model has much less passenger inconvenience. While the network appears to be ideal for the passenger system, it seems to make a miscalculation about the nature of flow economies of scale. In the final model flows must be deliberately routed to make up economical bundles, and the incentives are stacked in favor of large flows.
Can Clinical Interventions Change Care at the End of Life

Purpose: To review clinical interventions designed to change care at the end of life. Data Sources: Published results of clinical trials identified by MEDLINE searches, review of abstracts from mee...
Cross-Species Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Identifies Novel Oncogenic Events in Zebrafish and Human Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma

Human cancer genomes are highly complex, making it challenging to identify specific drivers of cancer growth, progression, and tumor maintenance. To bypass this obstacle, we have applied array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) to zebrafish embryonal rhabdomyosaroma (ERMS) and utilized cross-species comparison to rapidly identify genomic copy number aberrations and novel candidate oncogenes in human disease. Zebrafish ERMS contain small, focal regions of low-copy amplification. These same regions were commonly amplified in human disease. For example, 16 of 19 chromosomal gains identified in zebrafish ERMS also exhibited focal, low-copy gains in human disease. Genes found in amplified genomic regions were assessed for functional roles in promoting continued tumor growth in human and zebrafish ERMS – identifying critical genes associated with tumor maintenance. Knockdown studies identified important roles for Cyclin D2 (CCND2), Homeobox Protein C6 (HOXC6) and PlexinA1 (PLXNA1) in human ERMS cell proliferation. PLXNA1 knockdown also enhanced differentiation, reduced migration, and altered anchorage-independent growth. By contrast, chemical inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling reduced angiogenesis and tumor size in ERMS-bearing zebrafish. Importantly, VEGFA expression correlated with poor clinical outcome in patients with ERMS, implicating inhibitors of the VEGF pathway as a promising therapy for improving patient survival. Our results demonstrate the utility of array CGH and cross-species comparisons to identify candidate oncogenes essential for the pathogenesis of human cancer.
Fetal Pig:The High School Dissection Experience

Using qualitative methods, we observed a series of fetal pig dissection sessions in a high school biology course and interviewed 17 students in the class.The students' responses to dissection varied considerably. Most felt that dissection was a positive experience, but a substantial minority viewed it primarily in negative terms. Almost all the students had some ambivalence about aspects of the fetal pig lab and believed that alternatives should be provided for students who object to the practice. We argue that dissection remains a viable educational tool but should be an optional rather than compulsory component of the curriculum.
Investigating the hidden losses caused by out-of-shelf events: a multi-agent-based simulation

Out-of-shelf events refer to periods of time in which items of a certain product are not available to customers. It is clear that incidents of this nature result in economic loss, but their side effects are much more profound: since there is no record of missed sales opportunities, the estimated demand curve tends to be inaccurate. As a result, order placement strategies employed by retailers are based on imprecise forecast models, so further out-of-shelf events are very likely to occur: a vicious cycle, hence, arises. In this work, we propose a multi-agent-based simulation to evaluate the impact of out-of-shelf events that considers the reactions of customers towards these incidents and retailers' ordering strategies. Our results show that these events have a significant effect on demand estimation and that multi-agent-based simulations may provide interesting insights and support for the development of more accurate forecast models in retail.
Analysis of the individual allergens of Russian thistle pollen by an enzyme-linked immunoblotting technique.

Russian thistle pollen extract was analyzed by im-munoblots of isoelectic focused and SDS-PAGE gels. Twenty distinct protein bands were recognized by human IgE- and IgG-specific antibodies in the immunoblot from the SDS-PAGE gel. Molecular weights of these allergens ranged from 12.2 kD to 85 kD. Seventeen bands were detected on isoelectric focusing immunoblots with pi from 3.95 to 7.70. Allergic subjects had differing individual patterns of protein band recognition. Immunoblot techniques provide detailed evaluations of the response of allergy subjects to components of crude natural allergens.
A GaAs HBT programmable linear power amplifier

A three-stage power amplifier with a novel programmable linearization input stage is proposed and designed. The input stage with dual feedback loops can predistort the input signal to compensate the gain compression and phase distortion attributed from the following stages. The power amplifier demonstrated a peak PAE of 62% at the output power of 30.5dBm operating at 1.75GHz to 1.95GHz. At 27dBm output power level the adjacent channel power rejection ratio (ACPR) is less than -44dBc at a 1.25MHz offset frequency.
Long-term up-regulation of eNOS and improvement of endothelial function by inhibition of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the major pathway for intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is the key enzyme of vascular homeostasis involved in the pathophysiology of several cardiovascular diseases. The aim of our study was to investigate whether eNOS expression and activity are regulated by the proteasome. Bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (CPAE cells) were treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. MG132 (50-250 nmol/L) dose-dependently increased mRNA and protein levels of eNOS. Comparable results were obtained with other specific proteasome inhibitors, whereas the nonproteasomal calpain and cathepsin inhibitor ALLM had no effect. Efficacy of proteasome inhibition was evidenced by accumulation of poly-ubiquitinylated proteins and by measuring proteasomal activity in cell extracts. Cycloheximide prevented up-regulation of eNOS protein, indicating that post-translational stabilization of eNOS is not involved. eNOS activity was increased up to 2.8-fold (MG132 100 nmol/L, 48 h). Incubation of rat aortic rings with MG132 significantly enhanced endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation. Single MG132 treatment (100 nmol/L) induced long-term effects in CPAE cells, with increases of eNOS protein and activity for up to 10 days. Our results indicate that low-dose proteasome inhibition enhances eNOS expression and activity, and improves endothelial function.
Soft-switching capability analysis of a dual active bridge dc-dc converter

This paper analyzes the ZVS soft-switching region of a DAB converter with arbitrary operating waveforms. The effect of the junction capacitor of the device and the magnetizing inductance of the transformer are also analyzed. Through the analysis, a group of waveforms for different loading conditions are identified to maximize the ZVS operating region. The results are verified by simulation using real device models.
The Burden of Infant Meningococcal Disease in the United States.

In the United States, invasive meningococcal disease occurs at the highest rates in infants, with a second peak in adolescents. Early symptoms are nonspecific and may resemble viral infection, which poses a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Moreover, the stakes of diagnostic confusion may be high because the disease may become life threatening within hours. Sequelae among survivors may be profound. In adolescent age groups, control of meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y rests upon universal vaccination beginning at 11–12 years of age; vaccines for serogroup B are not currently available. One 4-valent vaccine is licensed for use in infants beginning at 9 months of age but is only recommended for those at high risk. Licensure of new vaccines for infants is expected soon, and a universal immunization program is being debated. A wide range of bacteria can cause meningitis in infants and young children. In neonates aged <3 months, group B streptococcus causes most bacterial meningitis in many developed countries, followed by Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative enteric bacilli. Listeria monocytogenes can also be seen in this age group [1]. Historically, for infants and children aged <5 years, the 3 most common causes of bacterial meningitis and sepsis were Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Neisseria meningitidis [1]. Annual disease cases due to Hib in US children aged <5 years have been reduced by 99%, and there has been a substantial decline in pediatric invasive pneumococcal disease due to routine infant immunization programs introduced in the 1990s and 2000s [2, 3]. This leaves N. meningitidis as one of the most important causes of bacterial meningitis in infants and young children. Since 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended routine vaccination against N. meningitidis for all adolescents; recommendations for vaccination of children aged 9 months–10 years are restricted to high-risk groups [4–10]. At the present time, there are no meningococcal conjugate vaccines licensed for use in infants aged <9 months, although there are vaccines currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This article discusses the burden of meningococcal disease in infants in order to provide a backdrop for considering prevention strategies.
Update: Assessment of gastric pH in the critically ill.

(1) The purpose of this manuscript is to update a review of the measurement of intraluminal gastric pH in the critically ill. Intraluminal gastric pH is readily measured by aspirates tested with litmus paper or a nasogastric tube with an antimony or glass electrode tip. Significant variations of intragastric pH have been shown in different stomach locations. Significant variations in the accuracy of pH readings have also been demonstrated. Prophylactic therapy in the critically ill is aimed at maintaining a gastric pH greater than 4.0 by drug therapy that 1) neutralizes acid, 2) interrupts the signal to produce acid, 3) reduces the amount of acid produced, or 4) enhances the mucosal barrier of the stomach lining. The critically ill patients at risk of respiratory failure or coagulopathy are the patients most at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and are, therefore, the ones most likely to benefit from prophylactic therapy. Multiple pH readings are more reliable indicators of gastric pH than are individual readings. Continuous prophylaxis is more effective than intermittent.
Implementation of permutation testing to determine clustering of social and behavioral risk factors for coronary heart disease, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether social and behavioral risk factors for coronary heart disease, including education, physical activity, fruit/vegetable intake, and smoking, cluster (i.e., co-occur more than expected as the result of chance) in U.S. adults. Methods The study included 4305 male and 4673 female subjects aged ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Risk factors included: ≤high school diploma/general educational development certificate; Results In male subjects, the ratio of observed-to-expected prevalence of SRI = 0 was 1.70 (permuted ratio = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.92–1.08), and SRI = 4 was 2.10 (permuted ratio = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.86–1.14), demonstrating significant clustering. In females, the ratio of observed-to-expected prevalence of SRI = 0 was 1.67 (permuted ratio = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.92–1.08), and SRI = 4 was 1.86 (permuted ratio = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.85–1.15). Conclusions Social and behavioral risk factors for coronary heart disease cluster in this sample of U.S. adults.
Enhanced backscattering of seismic waves from a highly irregular, random interface: SH case

SUMMARY We examine the scattering of P and SV waves incident on a highly irregular 2-D interface separating two semi-infinite elastic spaces to determine whether the enhanced backscattering, already identified for optical waves and SH waves, occurs. The Somigliana identity is used to derive exact integral expressions for the scattered displacement produced when an incident wave having Gaussian spatial distribution encounters a randomly irregular surface. These coupled integral equations are then solved using a discretization scheme where both slope and curvature of the interface are incorporated. The final set of linear equations, expressed in full analytical form, are then inverted to give the reflection coefficient from a given irregular interface. Using a statistical approach, we elucidate the average reflection coefficients for various irregular interfaces in the Earth's crust and mantle. This is accomplished by varying the height and length of the irregularities with respect to the incident wavelength and varying the incident angle and impedance contrast at the interface. This analysis shows that a well-defined ‘retroreflective’ peak occurs for interfaces with steep slope and large impedance contrasts. This enhanced backscattering is observed only for P-to-P and SV-to-SV reflections, strongly supporting the idea that multiple scattering and time-reversed paths are responsible for enhanced backscattering. Enhanced backscattering may be valuable in prospecting, as large-amplitude waves can be scattered directly back at the source complicating interpretations based on small amounts of reflection data. In addition, we show that an irregular Mohorovicic discontinuity can destroy a specular reflection and create a large conversion of most incident waves into incoherent wide-angle and post-critical energy. This may partially explain the complexities of P coda observed in the continental crust.
A framework for virtual community business success: the case of the Internet Chess Club

Prior work has identified, in piecemeal fashion, desirable characteristics of virtual community businesses (VCBs) such as inimitable information assets, persistent handles fomenting trust, and an economic infrastructure. The present work develops a framework for the success of a subscription-based VCB by taking into account the above elements and considering as well an interplay of the membership (both regular members and volunteers), technical features of the interface, and an evolutionary business model that supports member subgroups as they form. Our framework is applied by an in-depth survey of use and attitude of regular members and volunteers in the Internet Chess Club (ICC), a popular subscription-based VCB. The survey results reveal that key features of the model are supported in the ICC case: member subgroups follow customized communication pathways; a corps of volunteers is supported and recognized, and the custom interface presents clear navigation pathways to the ICCs key large-scale information asset, a multi-million game database contributed by real-world chess Grandmasters who enjoy complimentary ICC membership. We conclude by discussing VCBs in general and how the framework might apply to other domains.
Diabetes education kiosks in a latino community.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the implementation, use, and sustainability of a computerized touch-screen diabetes education kiosk (Diosk) designed to provide “on-demand” education in a predominantly Latino community in South Texas.MethodsA pilot study was conducted to examine the implementation, use, and sustainability of the Diosk in 5 settings (eg, clinics, community centers, and pharmacies) serving low-income, low-literacy populations. Both quantitative and qualitative data from embedded computerized usage tracking, user surveys, and key stakeholder interviews were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsThere were more than 5300 uses of the Diosk in the different sites during the 11-month study. The majority of users were female, between the ages of 36 and 64 years, and Latino, and they identified themselves as having or being at risk for type 2 diabetes. Several challenges were faced in maintaining the Diosk during the study, such as organizational capacity to hos...
Bilingual Education Policy in Singapore: An Analysis of its Sociohistorical Roots and Current Academic Outcomes

Using available data from Singapore's national census and economic reports, national exams, international comparison studies and small-scale studies, this paper examines the sociohistorical circumstances that led to the creation of Singapore's bilingual education policy, the results of this policy on recent academic achievement and implications for second language acquisition theory. National exam data reveal increasing levels of achievement for students in most academic areas; however, an achievement gap persists among ethnic groups. International comparisons indicate Singapore's superiority in math and science achievement and comparability in reading relative to participating countries. Little data are available on the degree of bilingualism of Singaporean students; however, the few published studies indicate English dominance in literacy but Mandarin dominance in oral communication for most Singaporean students. Singapore's success in educating students through a second language challenges the assumpti...
Key features of the UCSC genome site

The UCSC Genome site has been contributing to the public genomics community for over 5 years. We wish to highlight the key features, both new and old.
Association of Visit-to-Visit Variability of Hemoglobin A1c and Medication Adherence

BACKGROUND: Medication nonadherence is widespread, but there are few efficient means of detecting medication nonadherence at the point of care. Visit-to-visit variability in clinical biomarkers has shown inconsistent efficiency to predict medication adherence. OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance of visit-to-visit variability (VVV) of hemoglobin A1c to predict nonadherence to antidiabetic medications. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study using a clinical and administrative database, adult members of a managed care plan at a safety-net medical center from 2008 to 2012 were included if they had ≥ 3 noninsulin antidiabetic prescription fills within the same class and ≥ 3 A1c measurements between the first and last prescription fills. The independent variable was VVV of A1c (within-subject standard deviation of A1c), and the dependent variable was medication adherence (defined by medication possession ratio) determined from pharmacy claims. Unadjusted and adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were created to examine the relationship between VVV of A1c and medication nonadherence. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves assessed the performance of the adjusted model at discriminating adherence from nonadherence. RESULTS: Among 632 eligible subjects, mean A1c was 7.7% ± 1.3%, and 83% of the sample was nonadherent to antidiabetic medications. Increasing quintiles of VVV of A1c and medication nonadherence were both associated with increased within-subject mean A1c and younger subject age. The logistic regression model (adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, within-subject mean A1c, number of A1c measurements, number of days between the first and last antidiabetic medication prescription fills, and rate of primary care visits during the study period) showed a nonsignificant association of VVV of A1c and medication nonadherence (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.42-3.38 for the highest quintile of VVV). Adding VVV of A1c to a model including age, sex, and race only modestly improved the C-statistic of the ROC curve from 0.6786 to 0.7064. CONCLUSIONS: VVV of A1c is not a robust predictor of antidiabetic medication nonadherence. Further innovation is needed to develop novel methods of detecting nonadherence.
Parameter Choice for Process Control

Effective real time process control of activated sludge systems subject to transient loadings is dependent upon the identification of sensitive control parameters. Soluble organic concentration is shown not to be a suitable control parameter. Oxygen uptake rate and, correspondingly, reactor dissolved oxygen concentrations are extremely sensitive to changes in reactor soluble BOD concentration resulting from loading variations and, as a result, can be used as an indirect measure of soluble organics.
MBE Growth and Characterization of Small Band Gap HgTe-HgCdTe Superlattices.

A series of modulation-doped small-band-gap HgTe-Hg1−xCdxTe superlattices (SLs) have been grown by photoassisted MBE. N-type or p-type conductivity was obtained in the modulation-doped samples by incorporating either In or As dopant atoms in the barrier layers, respectively. The electrical and optical properties that these new multilayered quantum well structures display will be discussed.
The eScholarship repository: A University of California response to the scholarly communication crisis

Summary There is a perceived need to find an alternative method for publishing as a result of a growing scholarly communication crisis. In response, the University of California has developed the eScholarship Repository, which offers their faculty a central location for depositing working papers, pre-publication scholarship, and research reports. It provides persistent access and makes the content easily discoverable for anyone with Internet access. The repository is a viable alternative publishing mechanism, and is a tremendous boon to users who want quick and inexpensive access to a wide range of scholarly material. Its ability to stem the tide of increasing journal prices or provide a replacement to current publishing methods for faculty in their efforts to attain tenure and promotion, however, depends upon the establishment of a peer review system similar to what is currently found in traditional publishing.
Vaccine hesitancy: More than a movement

Vaccines are some of if not the most successful public health endeavors ever put into practice. Countless lives have been saved and the occurrences of vaccine preventable diseases are at a fraction of the rate experienced before vaccines. Vaccines and the realization of their compulsory scheduling are highly studied, safe, and purposeful. Despite these realities, there are an alarming number of parents who do not permit the vaccination of their children as scheduled. This is known in the health community as vaccine hesitancy and commonly portrayed in popular media as anti-vaccination sediment. This analysis opens with the topic as it was addressed during a September 2015 debate for the Republic Party's 2016 presidential nomination. Some key historical aspects of vaccine hesitancy are presented. This history leads to a description of the 2014-2015 measles outbreak in California. The factors that aide in the recruitment of under vaccination are then explored. Finally, select strategies to control, combat, and potentially attenuate vaccine hesitancy are presented.
Research on Mango Appearance Rank Classification Based on Computer Vision and Neural Network

For the shortage of artificial rank method in mango appearance rank classification,a method of mango appearance rank classification was presented based on computer vision technology and BP artificial neural networks. First,through the computer vision technology gaining mango image,the basic image processing method was used to carry on pre-processing to the mango image. Secondly,according to the effect of the appearance characteristic to mango appearance rank classification,the mango's wavelet characteristic parameter was chosed,the flaw area percentage,the color H component value,the transverse diameter and the shape index as its characteristic parameters of appearance rank classification. Finally,using these selected eight characteristic parameters as the input and the three rank classification results as the output,the BP neural network model of mango appearance rank classification was established and the mango appearance rank classification was realized. The test results indicated that the presented mango appearance rank classification method is effective and the recognition accurate rate has reached 93.3%.
The Fertility of Patients with Clinical Stage I Testis Cancer Managed by Nerve Sparing Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection

AbstractNerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection reliably preserves emission and ejaculation in patients with clinical stage I nonseminoma. The fertility of 51 patients who underwent nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was assessed by 3 different methods: standard semen analysis, analysis of chromatin content by deoxyribonucleic acid histogram and assessment of ultimate fertility status by a questionnaire. Approximately 75% of these patients have semen analyses generally considered to be in the normal range. Virtually all patients who underwent deoxyribonucleic acid histogram analysis had histograms similar to controls. A retrospective analysis of fertility was performed in 201 patients who had previously undergone nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Of these patients who attempted pregnancy after nerve sparing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection 76% have been successful. Approximately 75% of patients who present with clinical stage I nonseminoma are potential...
Teaching Psychology for Sustainability: The Why and How *:

The behavioral sciences can make vital contributions to environmental sustainability efforts, as relevant basic and applied psychological research has grown considerably over the past dozen years. ...
Integrating Politics and Organizations: Positive Theory and Public Administration

As I understand it, we've been given a broad mandate here to talk about the state of theory in public administration and where it ought to be headed. I'm not exactly a mainstream member of the field so I do this with a bit of trepidation, knowing that what I have to say may not sit well with some of my colleagues. Diversity and debate are healthy in any field, though, and public administration needs a lot of this-and more. It needs coherent theory, rigorous methods, far greater integration into political science-and constructive suggestions about how to accomplish all this. Our aim should be to reinvigorate public administration and see that it advances to the forefront of modem social science.
SU‐F‐T‐462: Lessons Learned From a Machine Incident Reporting System

Purpose: Linear accelerators must operate with minimal downtime. Machine incident logs are a crucial tool to meet this requirement. They providing a history of service and demonstrate whether a fix is working. This study investigates the information content of a large department linear accelerator incident log. Methods: Our department uses an electronic reporting system to provide immediate information to both key department staff and the field service department. This study examines reports for five linac logs during 2015. The report attributes for analysis include frequency, level of documentation, who solved the problem, and type of fix used. Results: Of the reports, 36% were documented as resolved. In another 25% the resolution allowed treatment to proceed although the reported problem recurred within days. In 5% only intermediate troubleshooting was documented. The remainder lacked documentation. In 60% of the reports, radiation therapists resolved the problem, often by clearing the appropriate faults or reinitializing a software or hardware service. 22% were resolved by physics and 10% by field service engineers. The remaining 8% were resolved by IT, Facilities, or resolved spontaneously. Typical fixes, in order of scope, included clearing the fault and moving on, closing and re-opening the patient session or software, cycling power to a sub-unit, recalibrating a device (e.g., optical surface imaging), and calling in Field Service (usually resolving the problem through maintenance or component replacement). Conclusion: The reports with undocumented resolution represent a missed opportunity for learning. Frequency of who resolves a problem scales with the proximity of the person's role (therapist, physicist, or service engineer), which is inversely related to the permanence of the resolution. Review of lessons learned from machine incident logs can form the basis for guidance to radiation therapists and medical physicists to minimize equipment downtime and ensure safe operation.
History-Aware data structure repair using SAT

Data structure repair corrects erroneous executions in deployed programs while they execute, eliminating costly downtime. Recent techniques show how to leverage specifications and a SAT solver to enforce specification conformance at runtime. While this powerful methodology increases the reliability of deployed programs, scalability remains a key technical challenge--satisfying a specification often results in the exploration of a huge state space. We present a novel technique, called history-aware contract-based repair for more efficient data structure repair using SAT. Our insight is two-fold: (1) the dynamic program trace of field writes and reads provides useful guidance to repair incorrect state mutations by a faulty program; and (2) we show how to execute SAT using unsatisfiable cores it generates, in an efficient iterative approach on successive problems with increasing state spaces, in order to utilize the history of previous runs as captured in the unsatisfiable core. We implement this approach in a new tool, called Cobbler, that repairs Java programs. Experimental results on two large applications and a library implementation of a linked list show that Cobbler significantly outperforms previous techniques for specification-based repair using SAT, and finds and repairs a previously undetected bug.
Genetically Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Targeted Foes of Cancer

With the thorough understanding of stem cell biology and the advent of targeted therapeutics for cancer, stem cell-based therapeutic strategies are being increasingly explored in the treatment of various cancer types. However, the role of stem cell therapies in cancer treatment, especially within developing targeted therapies, has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this publication is to shed light on current studies of this nature, by focusing on the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in various cancers with emphasis on a number of aspects that are critical to the success of future stem cell-based therapies for cancer. These include stem cell sources, tumor specificity, targeted therapeutics, and visualizing the stem cell and therapeutic agent pharmacokinetics which will ultimately allow translation of preclinical studies into early phase clinical studies. This publication aims to inform readers about critical and cutting edge stem cell therapies for cancer and also enable them to appreciate the vast plain of unresolved questions in stem cell research for cancer therapeutics.
Field Experimentation in Marketing Research

AbstractDespite increasing efforts to encourage the adoption of field experiments in marketing research (e.g., Campbell 1969; Cialdini 1980; Li et al. 2015), the majority of scholars continue to rely primarily on laboratory studies (Cialdini 2009). For example, of the 50 articles published in Journal of Marketing Research in 2013, only three (6%) were based on field experiments. The goal of this article is to motivate a methodological shift in marketing research and increase the proportion of empirical findings obtained using field experiments. The author begins by making a case for field experiments and offers a description of their defining features. She then demonstrates the unique value that field experiments can offer and concludes with a discussion of key considerations that researchers should be mindful of when designing, planning, and running field experiments.
Daily Sleep Predicting Marital Interactions as Mediated Through Mood

Objectives Sleep problems increase in later life. Studies have linked sleep with marital satisfaction, yet mechanisms, such as mood, have not been explored. The current study is innovative in examining sleep and marital interactions among older couples in a daily context, exploring mood as a potential mediator. Method Data were taken from the Life and Family Legacies Daily Experiences Study, involving 191 older couples surveyed across 14 days. Multivariate (dyadic) multilevel models were used to address our research questions. Results Findings indicated significant associations between daily sleep hours, sleep quality, and feeling rested with daily marital interactions. These associations were most consistent for wives. Mediation analyses indicated that positive mood was a common mechanism linking sleep with marital interactions. Also, in some cases, spouse sleep and mood reports were associated with partner marital interactions. Discussion Improving sleep quality among older couples could lead to better daily marital interactions through changes in mood.
A long journey to short abbreviations: developing an open-source framework for clinical abbreviation recognition and disambiguation (CARD).

Objective The goal of this study was to develop a practical framework for recognizing and disambiguating clinical abbreviations, thereby improving current clinical natural language processing (NLP) systems’ capability to handle abbreviations in clinical narratives. Methods We developed an open-source framework for clinical abbreviation recognition and disambiguation (CARD) that leverages our previously developed methods, including: (1) machine learning based approaches to recognize abbreviations from a clinical corpus, (2) clustering-based semiautomated methods to generate possible senses of abbreviations, and (3) profile-based word sense disambiguation methods for clinical abbreviations. We applied CARD to clinical corpora from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and generated 2 comprehensive sense inventories for abbreviations in discharge summaries and clinic visit notes. Furthermore, we developed a wrapper that integrates CARD with MetaMap, a widely used general clinical NLP system. Results and Conclusion CARD detected 27 317 and 107 303 distinct abbreviations from discharge summaries and clinic visit notes, respectively. Two sense inventories were constructed for the 1000 most frequent abbreviations in these 2 corpora. Using the sense inventories created from discharge summaries, CARD achieved an F1 score of 0.755 for identifying and disambiguating all abbreviations in a corpus from the VUMC discharge summaries, which is superior to MetaMap and Apache’s clinical Text Analysis Knowledge Extraction System (cTAKES). Using additional external corpora, we also demonstrated that the MetaMap-CARD wrapper improved MetaMap’s performance in recognizing disorder entities in clinical notes. The CARD framework, 2 sense inventories, and the wrapper for MetaMap are publicly available at . We believe the CARD framework can be a valuable resource for improving abbreviation identification in clinical NLP systems.
A Guide for Effective Case Analysis

The article provides a review of case method and the purposes it serves. The pedagogical process of the case approach is also an important aspect, raising such important questions as: In which ways does the case approach benefit the educational experience in a more lasting ways? Why does the case approach from the traditional lecture approach? What is the student involvement in the case approach and its consequent benefit to the critical and creative thing of the student? What are the benefits of decision making of the student when he is cornered in a decision situation? Is it as important to know the right questions to ask as the right answers to arrive? If the case approach is to be really meaningful, why and how important is it for a student to know how to prepare a case before his class session? How does the case method usually keep the students more attentive to the classroom activities than the traditional lecture method? These questions are raised and answered in the article. Case method form of teaching requires, like any other activity, case method teaching experience and skills. It is a unique blend of the instructor’s personality and teaching style, the case content, presentation and narrative style, the class’ personality, and the chemistry between the instructor and the class.
OPTIMIZING ANTIMICROBIAL PHARMACODYNAMICS: A GUIDE FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

SUMMARY Pharmacodynamic concepts should be applied to optimize antibiotic dosing regimens, particularly in the face of some multidrug resistant bacterial infections. Although the pharmacodynamics of most antibiotic classes used in the hospital setting are well described, guidance on how to select regimens and implement them into an antimicrobial stewardship program in one's institution are more limited. The role of the antibiotic MIC is paramount in understanding which regimens might benefit from implementation as a protocol or use in individual patients. This review article outlines the pharmacodynamics of aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tigecycline, vancomycin, and polymyxins with the goal of providing a basis for strategy to select an optimized antibiotic regimen in your hospital setting.
Case of the deadly strangelets

One year ago, on 18 July 1999, the Sunday Times of London carried an alarming article: "Big Bang machine could destroy Earth". The culprit was the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), which was then nearing completion at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in the US. Particle collisions inside the accelerator, said the Sunday Times, might create black holes or new forms of matter called "strangelets", which would either blow up the planet or suck it into oblivion. A caption to the story asked: "The final experiment?"
Youth Agency/Activism: The Hidden Outcome

As an outcome of political socialization, political activity is dependent on a wealth of factors. Gender, educational factors, location, religion, education, and local/global socio-political landscape all influence individuals’ political activity. According to McFarland and Thomas (2006), youth’s extracurricular activities can influence later political activity. This is one example of political socialization having a significant effect on political activity, as extracurricular activities are part of youth political socialization within the educational and peer interaction sphere. In addition, political activity takes different forms among youth, such as writing in journals, coordinating community activities, and protesting or rallying. This chapter discusses the political activity of youth as an agent of their political socialization. For youth living in conflicted regions, political activity as a result of political socialization can be demonstrated as resistance, activism, and solidarity, as is clear from the narratives of Palestinian youth. Thus, much of the political activity of the Palestinian youth is a direct response to the Israeli occupation.
CD40‐mediated signalling influences trafficking, T‐cell receptor expression, and T‐cell pathogenesis, in the NOD model of type 1 diabetes

CD40 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). The mechanism of action, however, is undetermined, probably because CD40 expression has been grossly underestimated. CD40 is expressed on numerous cell types that now include T cells and pancreatic β cells. CD40+ CD4+ cells [T helper type 40 (TH40)] prove highly pathogenic in NOD mice and in translational human T1D studies. We generated BDC2.5.CD40-/- and re-derived NOD.CD154-/- mice to better understand the CD40 mechanism of action. Fully functional CD40 expression is required not only for T1D development but also for insulitis. In NOD mice, TH40 cell expansion in pancreatic lymph nodes occurs before insulitis and demonstrates an activated phenotype compared with conventional CD4+ cells, apparently regardless of antigen specificity. TH40 T-cell receptor (TCR) usage demonstrates increases in several Vα and Vβ species, particularly Vα3.2+ that arise early and are sustained throughout disease development. TH40 cells isolated from diabetic pancreas demonstrate a relatively broad TCR repertoire rather than restricted clonal expansions. The expansion of the Vα/Vβ species associated with diabetes depends upon CD40 signalling; NOD.CD154-/- mice do not expand the same TCR species. Finally, CD40-mediated signals significantly increase pro-inflammatory Th1- and Th17-associated cytokines whereas CD28 co-stimulus alternatively promotes regulatory cytokines.
Filtering world-in-miniature: visual analytics for immersive virtual experiences

We present a concept for analyzing user experiences in immersive virtual environments. Filtering World-in-Miniatures (FWIMs) contain, visualize, and aggregate records from user experiences, with a focus on comparing users' behaviors. Analysts use an immersive virtual reality system to manipulate FWIMs and their visualization and filtering settings within an analytics virtual environment. FWIMs also allow an analyst to enter the virtual experience from users' perspectives. We discuss how we mapped the concept to the analysis of data from a VR anatomy education experience.