cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost effectiveness of cervical cancer screening for the elderly.

Abstract ▪Objective:To analyze the costs and benefits of alternate cervical cancer screening schedules among elderly women. ▪Setting:Population-based screening programs. ▪Design:A Markov model pred...
Effect of task-type and group size on foreign language learner output in synchronous computer-mediated communication

This quasi-experimental study of task-based learning aimed to determine to what extent task-type (jigsaw, decision-making and opinion exchange) and group size (partner and small group) impact both the quantity and quality of learner discourse in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC). SCMC is a tool used increasingly in foreign language instruction for creating environments that encourage interaction between learners (Salaberry, 1996). According to Nobuyoshi and Ellis (1993), using content-based tasks in interaction develops learners' communicative strategies and contributes to learners' language development, by allowing them to apply linguistic knowledge in spontaneous speech and providing them with exposure to new linguistic forms. In the current study, 62 students in third-semester German completed six 30-minute online discussion tasks designed to stimulate use of new vocabulary. Task-group configurations (e.g., jigsaw-partner) were counterbalanced among the five sections of the course. Transcripts were coded for foreign language, non-target language and off task communication-units, holistically scored language quality and task completion, grammatical accuracy, lexical targets, negotiated interactions, and restricted lexical and grammatical composite collocations. Students also completed an initial survey designed to collect demographic data and initial reactions to SCMC use and a follow-up survey including questions regarding the use and usefulness of SCMC and its structure, use of German, task preference and resulting attitudes. 10 students completed a 30-minute interview conducted to elicit more information about their responses on the follow-up survey. Results of this study indicate that: (1) decision-making-partner tasks elicited a significantly higher amount of foreign language output and quality in language than the other task-group configurations; (2) the patterns of negotiated interactions differed in some ways from Smith's (2001, 2003a) model; (3) there was no significant effect for task-group configuration for increasing the quantity or promoting a higher quality of negotiated interactions; (4) opinion exchange-partner tasks elicited the largest amount and most appropriate use of both lexical and grammatical composite collocations; and (5) learner reactions to task-based SCMC were largely similar to previous findings. Participants overwhelmingly preferred the open-ended and least constrained opinion exchange task. These results demonstrate that task-group configurations in SCMC have important implications for meeting pedagogical objectives.
In Memoriam: John L. Bull, 1914-2006

reserves. One example is the “Teppes de Verbois” near the city of Geneva, where meanders of the Rhone River had created a habitat mosaic harboring a high biotic diversity. The area had been severely damaged by a dam and gravel pits. In addition, the government wanted to install a nuclear power plant there. Conservationists in Geneva, led by Geroudet and others, stopped the planned nuclear plant and reduced the gravel extraction. Further, they persuaded the authorities to fi nance the ecological restoration of the area. Recreated environments include ponds, one of which was named “The Geroudet Pond.” A second involvement stemmed from his belief, which he backed by aggressive action, that species that had become extinct through human activities could be reintroduced. The Lammergeier was his prime objective for reintroduction. A program similar to the one that saved the California Condor succeeded, and the Lammergeier breeds again in the Alps. Geroudet was my mentor in ornithology. He emphasized fi eld techniques, note taking, and how to write papers, and introduced me to the ornithological literature and to fi gures like Lars von Haartman, Reginald Moreau, and Alexander Wetmore. Under a gruff demeanor, Geroudet hid a so er side. Even though not wealthy, he donated thousands of dollars from book royalties to worthy causes in ornithology and conservation. Carmen, his wife since 1950, was the ideal companion. Although she liked operas and he preferred opere as, they shared a love of travel and a passion for food. As a result of Paul’s oenological knowledge, he was inducted in 1964 into Burgundy’s illustrious group of wine connoisseurs, the “Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.” Paul and Carmen Geroudet had no children. Detailed appreciations of Geroudet’s extraordinary life and work have appeared in Nos Oiseaux (54: 3–28, 2007, with a partial bibliography) and Der Ornithologische Beobachter (104:70–74, 2007).
Splitting One Kidney into Two: Robotic Partial Kidney Transplant in a Porcine Model

The number of renal transplant candidates rises each year. Partial organ transplantation is used in liver and pancreas transplants as a strategy to increase the donor supply by allowing either an organ from a deceased donor to be split into two or a living donor to donate part of an organ [1]. This is possible because these organs have discrete functional units with their own vasculature and excretory ducts. The kidney also has discrete vascular and collecting-system anatomy; however, partial kidney transplant (PKT) has not been described to date. We hypothesized that PKT could be technically feasible using robotic transplant [2] and partial nephrectomy techniques with dissection of the segmental renal vasculature [3]. We evaluated this approach in an animal model. This study was approved by our Animal Care and Use Committee. The procedure commenced similar to a transperitoneal partial nephrectomy. The ipsilateral internal iliac vessels were then dissected as recipient vessels. After administration of intravenous heparin, the segmental renal vessels (SRVs) were dissected in the renal sinus and a robotic bulldog clamp was placed to demarcate the transverse avascular plane. After clamping the hilum, the SRVs were divided and the upper-pole donor moiety was flushed intracorporeally with cooled, heparinized saline injected through an angiocatheter into the segmental renal artery (Fig. 1A). A heminephrectomy was performed in which the upper pole was transferred to the ipsilateral pelvis, and the lower pole was closed in two layers and its viability confirmed. End-to-end vascular anastomoses were created between the SRVs and internal iliac vessels with running 5-0 polypropylene (Fig. 1B). The vessels were then unclamped and a calicovesicostomy was performed for urinary drainage with a running 3-0 barbed polybutester suture. At the end of each operation, the swine was euthanized. The primary outcome measurement was perfusion of the donor moiety as measured by patency of the anastomosis, a color change in the transplanted moiety, and bleeding edges. Ten PKTs were successfully completed. In all cases, the lower pole remnant was successfully reconstructed and perfused. The mean operative time was 247 min (range 206–285), with venous and arterial anastomosis times of 21 and 23 min, respectively. In the initial two cases, systemic heparin was not administered and the segmental vessels clotted, preventing reperfusion. In the last eight cases, successful reperfusion of the donor moiety occurred.
Photolabile Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Probes of E. coli Ribosome Structure

The extensive attention that has been directed recently toward the structure and function of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) has led to the identification of sites within rRNA that are directly linked to specific aspects of ribosomal function. One important approach has been the use of oligoDNAs that are complementary to single-stranded rRNA sequences to probe the structure of rRNA. This approach was first introduced by Bogdanov and his co-workers (Skripkin et al., 1979; Mankin et al., 1981) to probe both isolated rRNA and rRNA within ribosomal subunits. More recently, Hill and his co-workers (1990) have demonstrated that single-stranded regions of rRNA can form stable complexes with their complementary oligodeoxyribonucleotides, as evidenced by both filter binding assays using a 32P-labeled probe and by the demonstration that treatment of the complex with RNase H cleaves rRNA at the appropriate position. By measuring the effects of added probes on specific ribosomal functions, they obtain evidence regarding the functional importance of a targeted rRNA sequences. A further application involves the attachment of electron microscopic markers to complementary oligoDNAs and the visualization of the complexes of such oligoDNAs bound to ribosome subunits, thus providing a three-dimensional localization of the targeted rRNA sequence. This approach has been called DNA hybridization electron microscopy (Olson et al., 1988; Lasater et al., 1989, 1990; Oakes et al., 1990a).
Requirements of ribonucleic acid synthesis for the formation of salivary gland specific proteins in larval Chironomus tentans

Abstract Chromosomal ribonucleic acid synthesis in salivary gland cells of fourth instar Chironomus tentans larvae can be inhibited for 12–24 h with actinomycin D with no apparent effect on either the synthesis or the secretion of characteristic salivary gland proteins. Uptake, transport across the gland, and secretion of serum albumin are also relatively insensitive to inhibition by actinomycin D, but these processes are also unaffected when salivary gland protein synthesis is blocked with puromycin. The proteins characteristic of the differentiated state of the larval salivary gland appear to be synthesized on relatively stable ribonucleic acid templates, but new ribonucleic acid synthesis is required for further development.
Abundance and Distribution of Lygus hesperus (Heteroptera: Miridae) in Two Conifer Nurseries in Western Oregon

Seasonal patterns of Lygus hesperus Knight abundance and distribution were observed at two conifer nurseries in western Oregon during 1985. Lygus abundance differed significantly among conifer seedling types (age class/species combinations) and sampling dates. Highest densities were observed in lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine seedlings germinated during 1985, in Douglas-fir seedlings germinated in 1984 and in late July samples. Significant interaction between seedling type and sample date reflected a shift in Lygus occurrence among seedling types during the growing season, especially from 1984 Douglas-fir seedlings early in the season to 1985 seedlings later in the season. This shift coincided with dispersal of the first Lygus generation and with pruning of the 1984 seedlings for height control. These results indicate that L. hesperus abundance and distribution in conifer nurseries result from Lygus phenology in combination with seasonal changes in the spatial pattern of available resources. Implications for nursery management are discussed.
Control of Bagworm with Bacillus thuringiensis

Effective control of Thyridopleryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) was obtained with Biotrol®NK (3.4 × 109 IU/lb), a wettable powder formulation of spores and crystals of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner. During June-August 1972, all treatments (equivalents of 4, 2, 1 and 0.5 Ib/100 gal H2O) significantly reduced bagworm populations. During June and early July, all treatments except the 0.5-lb rate gave nearly 100% control, whereas during late July, the 4- and 2-lb treatments gave significantly better control than lesser rates. Bagworm populations were significantly reduced during August and September, although these results were confounded by the presence of pupae in the samples.
Isolation and characterization of temperature-sensitivelethal(2)giant larva alleles : II. Temperature-sensitive expression of the imaginal disc neoplasm.

In this paper we present an analysis of the behavior ofl(2)gl tsimaginal wing discs during culture in adult hosts. Thel(2)gl tslarvae reared at 29° C contain two types of wing discs, those that are morphologically normal and those that are abnormal. When discs of both types are cultured in adult hosts at 29° C, the restrictive temperature, they give rise to transplantable neoplastic tissue. However, when the 29° C reared discs are cultured at 15° C, the permissive temperature, the morphologically normal discs maintain their morphology, but the morphologically abnormal discs give rise to neoplasms. Thel(2)gl tslarvae reared at 15° C contain only morphologically normal discs. When these discs are cultured in adult hosts at 29° C they give rise to neoplasms, however if the discs are cultured at 15° C they maintain their normal morphology. These results demonstrate: (1) that all wing imaginal discs obtained from 29° C rearedl(2)gl tslarvae are competent to undergo neoplastic development, (2) the morphologically abnormal discs obtained from the 29° C rearedl(2)gl tslarvae are committed to neoplastic development, (3) the neoplastic development of the morphologically normal discs is temperature dependent, (4) once the neoplastic development of thel(2)gl tsdiscs has been initiated the process is not readily reversible. In addition, the ability ofl(2)gl tswing discs to perform epimorphic regulation was tested by amputating morphologically normal permissively rearedl(2)gl tswing discs and culturing both fragiments at the permissive temperature. Fragments of control wild-type discs maintained their morphology during culture at the permissive temperature. However, both fragments of txel(2)gl tsdiscs became neoplastic. This result is discussed with respect to a possible role for thel(2)gl +function in epimorphic regulation and with respect to the phenomena of tumor promotion in vertebrates.
L_2-gain Analysis and Control Synthesis for a Class of Uncertain Switched Nonlinear Systems

This paper addresses the issue of L2-gain analysis and control synthesis for a class of uncertain switched nonlinear systems using the average dwell-time method incorporated with piecewise Lyapunov functions.Suficient conditions for a weighted L2-gain and the stabilization are derived.A switched state feedback controller is designed to achieve exponential stability of the closed-loop system with the weighted L2-gain property.
Somebodiness and Its Meaning to African American Men

The psychological functioning of African American men is often described in negative terms. One way to correct these distorted depictions is to identify culturally grounded concepts that can make a fair-minded assessment of their psychological functioning. The literature has suggested that “somebodiness” is a culturally relevant, but understudied, concept. In this investigation, an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach was used to explore somebodiness and its meaning to African American men.
The Impact of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Use on the Sexual Health of Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Qualitative Study in Seattle, WA

ABSTRACTThis study explores the impacts of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use on the sexual health of men who have sex with men (MSM). The authors conducted in-depth interviews with MSM who use PrEP (n = 14). Data was analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. PrEP use reduced fear and shame associated with sex and facilitated greater sexual satisfaction and intimacy. Although participants generally viewed PrEP as empowering and beneficial, they also experienced PrEP-related stigma. The authors’ analysis emphasizes the importance of understanding the reasons MSM use PrEP and highlights opportunities for reducing harm and fostering sexual health among MSM who are using or considering PrEP.
Suicidal Behavior in Mood Disorders: Response to Pharmacological Treatment

Suicidal behavior is strongly associated with depression, especially if accompanied by behavioral activation, dysphoria, or agitation. It may respond to some treatments, but the design of scientifically sound, ethical trials to test for therapeutic effects on suicidal behavior is highly challenging. In bipolar disorder, and possibly also unipolar major depression, an underprescribed medical intervention with substantial evidence of preventive effects on suicidal behavior is long-term treatment with lithium. It is unclear whether this effect is specifically antisuicidal or reflects beneficial effects of lithium on depression, mood instability, and perhaps aggression and impulsivity. Antisuicidal effects of anticonvulsant mood stabilizers (carbamazepine, lamotrigine, valproate) appear to be less than with lithium. Further evaluation is needed for potential antisuicidal effects of atypical antipsychotics with growing evidence of efficacy in depression, particularly acute bipolar depression, while generally lacking risk of inducing agitation, mania, or mood instability. Short-term and long-term value and safety of antidepressants are relatively secure for unipolar depression but uncertain and poorly tested for bipolar depression; their effects on suicidal risk in unipolar depression may be age-dependent. Sedative anxiolytics are virtually unstudied as regards suicidal risks. Adequate management of suicidal risks in mood disorder patients requires comprehensive, clinically skillful monitoring and timely interventions.
Keeping Weight Off: study protocol of an RCT to investigate brain changes associated with mindfulness-based stress reduction

Introduction Obesity is a growing epidemic fuelled by unhealthy behaviours and associated with significant comorbidities and financial costs. While behavioural interventions produce clinically meaningful weight loss, weight loss maintenance is challenging. This may partially be due to failure to target stress and emotional reactivity. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces stress and emotional reactivity and may be a useful tool for behaviour change maintenance. This study seeks to provide a mechanistic understanding for clinical trials of the benefits of MBSR for weight loss maintenance by examining changes in functional connectivity (FC) and the association of these changes with clinical outcomes. Methods and analysis Community-dwelling individuals (n=80) who intentionally lost ≥5% of their body weight in the past year will be recruited and randomised to an MBSR programme or educational control. FC using resting-state functional MRI will be measured at baseline and 8 weeks. Psychological factors, health behaviours, body mass index and waist circumference will be measured at baseline, 8 weeks and 6 months post intervention. A 12-month telephone follow-up will assess self-reported weight. Analyses will characterise FC changes in response to MBSR in comparison with a control condition, assess the relationship between baseline FC status and pre–post MBSR changes in FC and investigate the association of FC change with changes in psychological factors and weight loss maintenance. Ethics and dissemination The University of Massachusetts Medical School Institutional Review Board has approved this study, Declaration of Helsinki protocols are being followed, and patients will give written informed consent. The Independent Monitoring Committee will monitor protocol adherence. Results from the study will be disseminated to the medical community at conferences and submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals when the last patient included has been followed up for 12 months. Trial registration number NCT02189187.
172. Correction of Profound Metabolic Impairments in MPS IIIB Mice by a Systemic rAAV9-hNAGLU Gene Delivery

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIB is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency in α-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU) leading to complex CNS and somatic pathology. This study was designed to characterize the metabolic impairments in MPS IIIB mice, and assess their responsiveness to effective gene therapy treatment. Using mass spectrometry targeting 361 metabolites, we detected significant decreases in 225 metabolites, and increases in 6, in serum from 7mo-old MPS IIIB mice, compared to wt mice. The metabolic disturbances in MPS IIIB mice emerge early, and involve virtually all major pathways of amino acid, peptide (58/102), carbohydrate (18/28), lipid (111/139), nucleotide (12/24), energy (2/9), vitamin and co-factors (11/16) and xenobiotics (11/28) metabolism. Notably, the reduced metabolites included 8 essential amino acids, Vitamins (C, E, B2, B6) and neurotransmitters (serotonin (5HT, glutamate, tryptophan, and N-acetyltyrosin). Importantly, the restoration of NAGLU activity with an IV injection of rAAV9-hNAGLU vector led to the efficient correction of these metabolic abnormalities, with 184 metabolites (79.7%) normalized, 6 (2.6%) partially corrected and 41 (17.7%) over-corrected. While the mechanisms are unclear, our data demonstrates that the lack of NAGLU activity triggers profound metabolic disturbances in MPS IIIB, leading to severely compromised functions in virtually all metabolic pathways. These metabolic impairments respond well to restoration of NAGLU activity using an effective gene therapy approach, supporting the biomarker potential of serum metabolomic profiles for MPS IIIB.
Learning to reach by building a representation of peri-personal space

Inspired by the early spatial learning of human infants, we describe progress toward enabling a robotic learning agent to learn the structure of peri-personal space — the space immediately around the agent within which reaching and grasping take place — with minimal prior spatial knowledge. We propose the PPS Graph representation for early knowledge of peri-personal space, a model that produces behaviors qualitatively consistent with early human motion, and that may provide information on how humans learn manipulation skills through its implementation in a computational system. Each graph node represents a visual sense vector and a proprioceptive sense vector corresponding to the same state of the world, but neither sense vector has a pre-existing interpretation in terms of a 3D model of the environment. An edge linking two nodes in the PPS Graph represents the feasibility of motion between those two states. Learning starts with “motor babbling”, random exploration of the space of joint angle vectors, leading to the creation of an initial PPS graph representing arm configurations in an otherwise empty space. The next crucial step is recognizing an unusual event, such as accidentally colliding with an object and changing its position. Once a type of unusual event has been identified, the goal for learning is to identify the prerequisites for an action to achieve an event of that type. We report the results of experiments on a physical Baxter robot, both on a small Learning Graph and on a much larger Sampled PPS Graph to demonstrate scalability. We show how appropriate features can be extracted from uninterpreted visual images, and that combining weakly informative features with Naive Bayes allows our robot to plan and make reliable reaching motions. We hypothesize that a similar approach will extend these results to grasping and moving objects.
DUOX1 Silencing in Lung Cancer is Associated with Enhanced Nuclear EGFR Localization

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains to be one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortalities worldwide. The NADPH oxidase homolog, Dual Oxidase 1 (DUOX1), is an H 2 O 2 producing enzyme located in the airway epithelium with key roles in epithelial homeostasis. Recent studies indicate that DUOX1 is epigenetically silenced in many forms of NSCLC via hypermethylation of its promoter. We previously demonstrated that DUOX1 silencing in lung cancer cells is closely associated with features of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the mechanism(s) by which DUOX1 silencing promotes these outcomes are not understood. Previous findings indicate that DUOX1-dependent epithelial host defense pathways are mediated by redox-dependent activation of epithelial signaling via the non-receptor tyrosine kinase, Src, and the receptor tyrosine kinase, EGFR. We hypothesized that loss of DUOX1 in lung cancer may be associated with aberrant regulation of Src and/or EGFR, tyrosine kinases that are frequently misregulated in cancer. In fact, recent studies have indicated that nuclear EGFR in cancer is associated with metastatic cell behavior and poor clinical outcome, and the nuclear EGFR localization depends on Src-dependent phosphorylation of EGFR at Y1101. We observed that overexpression of DUOX1 in alveolar lung cancer A549 cells (low DUOX1), results in redistribution Src to the plasma membrane and decreased nuclear accumulation. DUOX1 overexpression also suppressed EGF-stimulated nuclear translocation of EGFR, which was associated with reduced EGFR phosphorylation at Y1101. Conversely, RNAi-mediated silencing of DUOX1 in the epithelial cancer cell line H292, which normally expresses DUOX1 expression, was found to promote EGF-mediated EGFR nuclear translocation and Y1101 phosphorylation. Since nuclear EGFR is thought to enhance the transcription of target genes related to cell cycle progression and proliferation (e.g. CDK1, Myc, others), we evaluated gene expression of these target genes in our cell models. Indeed, in cells lacking DUOX1, EGF stimulation significantly enhanced mRNA levels of CDK1, Myc, and other target genes for nuclear EGFR, whereas no such induction was seen in cells that express DUOX1. Our findings indicate that DUOX1 silencing in lung cancer may be associated with worse prognosis, partly due to altered spatiotemporal regulation of EGFR and Src and increased nuclear targeting. Funding provided by NIH RO1 HL085646 (AvdV), F32 HL129706 (DEH), T32 HL076122 (ACL), and LCCRO Juckett Award.
The underdog advantage in creativity

Abstract Underdogs are expected to lose. Yet, many underdogs—from the Biblical David to today’s Harry Potter—emerge victorious. What do underdogs who win against seemingly impossible odds have in common? One answer may be creativity: they find creative ways to reach their goals. To determine how creativity figures into the success of underdogs, we randomly assigned participants in this study to either of two groups: one that reads a story about an underdog and one that reads a story about a top dog. After reading their respective stories, the participants completed the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. As we predicted, participants who had read about an underdog had higher creativity scores and produced a wider range of ideas than those who had read about a top dog. Those results suggested that their contemplation of successful underdogs had stimulated the participants’ creativity. The implication is that the underdog experience may itself predispose individuals to finding creative solutions.
Mexican teleteatros: the cultural politics of prime-time series

This article focuses on the ideas and discourse of some early television critics regarding the content and direction of television drama specifically teleteatros, the first prime-time dramas in Mex...
Hardness Preserving Constructions of Pseudorandom Functions, Revisited

We revisit hardness-preserving constructions of a PRF from any length doubling PRG when there is a non-trivial upper bound q on the number of queries that the adversary can make to the PRF. Very recently, Jain, Pietrzak, and Tentes (TCC 2012) gave a hardness-preserving construction of a PRF that makes only O(log q) calls to the underlying PRG when q = 2 and ≥ 12 . This dramatically improves upon the efficiency of the GGM construction. However, they explicitly left open the question of whether such constructions exist when < 1 2 . In this work, we make progress towards answering this question. In particular we give constructions of PRFs that make only O(log q) calls to the underlying PRG even when q = 2 , for 0 < < 12 . Our constructions present a tradeoff between the output length of the PRF and the level of hardness preserved. We obtain our construction through the use of almost α-wise independent hash functions coupled with a novel proof strategy. ∗ATT Email: nishanth@cs.ucla.edu. Work done while the author was at Microsoft Research, Redmond. †Computer Science Department, UCLA; Email: sanjamg@cs.ucla.edu. Work done while the author was visiting Microsoft Research, Redmond. Part of this research conducted while at the IBM Research, T.J. Watson funded by NSF Grant No.1017660.
Water-Vapor Resistance Difference between a Male and Female Thermal ManikinWearing Ballistic Vests

With other personal protective equipment including the helmet, the ballistic vest has been widely utilized for individual protection against fragmentation as well as handgun and rifle projectiles. In Iraq and Afghanistan, American military personnel have used ballistic vests to protect themselves from injuries from everything from high-velocity bullets to bomb fragments (Michael, 2006).
Frailty in Hematologic Malignancy

Older adults with hematologic malignancy are a growing demographic. Estimating risk of chemotherapy toxicity based on age alone is an unreliable estimate of quality of life, functional capacity, or risk of treatment complications. Dedicated geriatric assessment tools can aid the clinician in identifying geriatric syndromes such as frailty, resulting in improved prognostication to decrease morbidity and mortality. Frailty is not synonymous with individual performance status and is dynamic. Establishing the patient goals, values, and preferences is central to the consideration of malignant hematology decision process. Careful considerations of available data on the patient’s prognosis based on estimated life expectancy, geriatric assessment data, and age-specific cancer mortality, with and without treatment, can reconcile the risks and benefits. Assessments of frailty can aid the clinical feasibility and burden of the treatment to the patient and family in the context of each patient’s unique needs.
Externalities Studies: Why are the Numbers Different?

This paper summarizes important differences among a number of studies that estimate the externalities of fuel cycles1. All of these studies essentially define externalities to be health, environmental, or other damages (or benefits) that affect the well being of third parties. Table 1 lists the studies that this paper reviews. The paper focuses on the first seven; and alludes briefly to the last two of these studies (California Energy Commission and Northern States Power).
Gas Chromatographic and Related Studies of Metal Complexes

In the few years since its discovery, gas chromatography has revolutionized the conduct of research in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Its application to problems in inorganic chemistry has been slower in coming, but it is now clear that gas chromatography has much to offer to the inorganic chemist as well. For a more detailed discussion, bibliography, and historical development of inorganic studies, the reader is referred to the book entitled Gas Chromatography of Metal Chelates. Many more recent papers are listed in Ref. 2 and 3.
Bootstrapping Heavy-Tailed Data and Extremes

In this chapter, we consider two topics, viz., bootstrapping heavy-tailed time series data and bootstrapping the extremes (i.e., the maxima and the minima) of stationary processes. We call a random variable heavy-tailed if its variance is infinite. For iid random variables with such heavy tails, it is well known (cf. Feller (1971b), Chapter 17) that under some regularity conditions on the tails of the underlying distribution, the normalized sample mean converges to a stable distribution. Similar results are also known for the sample mean under weak dependence. In Section 11.2, we introduce some relevant definitions and review some known results in this area. In Sections 11.3 and 11.4, we present some results on the performance of the MBB for heavy-tailed data under dependence. Like the iid case, here the MBB works if the resample size is of a smaller order than the original sample size. Consistency properties of the MBB are presented in Section 11.3, while its invalidity for a resample size equal to the sample size is considered in Section 11.4.
Diels-Alder Reactions

Boron in Diels-Alder reactions falls into three categories: simple alkenylboranes as dienophiles, dienylboranes as dienes, and asymmetric boranes as acid catalysts that are chiral templates.
Structures at Risk During Percutaneous Screw Fixation for Talonavicular Fusion.

Background:Talonavicular (TN) fusion using screws dorsomedially and dorsolaterally can cause neurovascular injury. The purpose of our cadaveric study was to evaluate the safety of percutaneous scre...
Robot-assisted radical cystectomy versus open radical cystectomy

Radical cystectomy is suited to a minimally invasive approach, and robotic surgery holds the potential for improving perioperative morbidity compared with open surgery, without a compromise of oncological efficacy. Recent meta-analyses have shown that minimally invasive cystectomy is associated with lower morbidity, shorter length of stay, reduced blood loss and transfusion rates, less post-operative ileus and a reduced need for analgesics. The short and medium term oncological efficacy of robotic cystectomy has been shown to be equivalent to open surgery. However, larger studies with longer follow-up are needed in order to obtain higher levels of evidence.
Capacity building in health care professions within the Gulf cooperation council countries: Paving the way forward

There is a worldwide shortage of health care workers. This problem is particularly severe in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries because of shortages in certain medical disciplines, due to a lack of nationally-trained professionals and a less developed educational system compared to other high income countries. Consequently, GCC countries are heavily dependent on an expatriate health care workforce; a problem exacerbated by high turnover. We discuss challenges and potential strategies for improving and strengthening capacity building efforts in health care professions in the GCC. In the GCC, there are 139 schools providing professional health education in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, and other specialties. Health education school density reported for the GCC countries ranges between 2.2 and 2.8 schools per one million inhabitants, except in Oman where it is 4.0 per one million inhabitants. The GCC countries rely heavily on expatriate health professionals. The number of physicians and nurses in the GCC countries are 2.1 and 4.5 per 1000 respectively, compared to 2.8 and 7.9 among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Interestingly, the number of dentists and pharmacists is higher in the GCC countries compared to OECD countries. A nationally trained health care workforce is essential for the GCC countries. Physiotherapy and occupational therapy are two identified areas where growth and development are recommended. Custom-tailored continuing medical education and continuing professional development (CPD) programs can augment the skills of health practitioners, and allow for the expansion of their scope of practice when warranted. Capacity building can play an essential role in addressing the major health challenges and improving the overall quality of health care in the region. Efforts aimed at increasing the number of locally-trained graduates and developing and implementing need-based CPD programs are vital for capacity building and lifelong learning in health care professions.
Rhenium(I) Phosphazane Complexes for Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

A library of 11 rhenium phosphazane complexes was synthesized and characterized for fundamental studies of electrochemical CO2 reduction. Because they contain chelating phosphorus donors, these com...
Flow of a model shear-thickening micellar fluid past a falling sphere

Formation of an unusually extended wake behind a falling sphere in a shear thickening dilute micellar solution (CTAB/5mS) is reported. It is suggested that this behavior is linked to flow-induced micellar structure formation where micelles transition from rodlike to wormlike micelles around the falling sphere.
A High Sensitivity Microfluidic Channel Enabled Terahertz Metamaterial Absorber For Sensing And Detectio

Metamaterials and metamaterial absorbers have been widely reported to be used in sensing and detection applications. Among them, metamaterial absorber is superior by its high-quality factor, and its high sensitivity to the change of the surrounding environment. However, the conventional metamaterials and metamaterial absorbers are configured with relatively thick substrates as their supporting structures with high permittivity, which compromises the sensitivity. Herein we utilize thin silicon nitride membrane as the supporting structure for the metamaterial layer to eliminate the high permittivity effect of the bulk substrate to achieve a much higher sensitivity. Moreover, we find the sensitivity can be further increased with thicker spacer thickness. The fabricated devices demonstrate a more than 3 times improvement in sensitivity compared with the state of art.
Propagation of a left-circularly polarized electromagnetic wave through a chiral slab resonator based on Fresnel coefficients

Propagation of a left-circularly polarized (LCP) electromagnetic wave through a chiral slab is examined from the perspective of the corresponding effective amplitude and power transmission coefficients and any resulting resonance behavior.
Vortex transport and pinning in conformal pinning arrays

Abstract We examine the current driven dynamics for vortices interacting with conformal crystal pinning arrays and compare to the dynamics of vortices driven over random pinning arrays. We find that the pinning is enhanced in the conformal arrays for field densities less than 2.5 times the matching field. At higher fields, the effectiveness of the pinning in the moving vortex state is enhanced in the random arrays compared to the conformal arrays, leading to crossing of the velocity force curves.
Mapping paleo-lacustrine environments and long-term climate trends using groundwater chemistry

Groundwater chemical and isotopic variability are used to identify and map temporal changes in the paleo-lacustrine environment and the long-term climate trends in the Closed Basin of the San Luis Valley, Colorado, USA. Total dissolved solids, water color, δ13C, SO42−, Cl−, and Na+ excess are used to identify chemical reaction zones. The reaction zones include methanogenic zones, which represent organic-rich reducing shallow lake conditions; gypsum and halite dissolution zones, which represent saline and playa lakes; and ion exchange zones, which represent organic-rich lakes. The reaction zone maps and vertical stratification depict both long-term and rapid changes in the paleo-lacustrine environmental conditions and changes in the climate regime of the Closed Basin. Based on the reaction zone mapping, the general scheme of the late Pleistocene-Holocene environmental regime of the Closed Basin has been worked out. The upper portion of the confined aquifer was deposited in the organic-rich late Pleistocene Lake Sipapu, which filled the Closed Basin after the draining of the Plio-Pleistocene Lake Alamosa. As the organic-rich lake shrank in size due to the drying climate, the unconfined aquifer sediments were deposited as fluvial sediments and in a series of smaller string lakes. In the string lakes, organic-rich sediments were deposited, and gypsum and halite precipitated as the lakes fluctuated between swamps, fresh and saline lakes, and playas.
High Protein Rice Flour in the Development of Gluten-Free Bread

There is a need for acceptable gluten-free foods that provide greater protein. Rice is used in gluten-free products and new higher protein rice varieties now exist. Stores surveyed for products wit...
Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement for patients with severe aortic stenosis and concomitant aortic insufficiency: Insights from the TVT Registry.

Aims Data regarding outcomes for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) with concomitant aortic insufficiency (AI), undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are limited. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of severe AS with concomitant AI among patients undergoing TAVR and outcomes of TAVR in this patient group. Methods and results Using data from the STS/ACC-TVT Registry, we identified patients with severe AS with or without concomitant AI who underwent TAVR between 2011 and 2016. Patients were categorized based on the severity of pre-procedural AI. Multivariable proportional hazards regression models were used to examine all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalization at 1-year. Among 54,535 patients undergoing TAVR, 42,568 (78.1%) had severe AS with concomitant AI. Device success was lower in patients with severe AS with concomitant AI as compared with isolated AS. The presence of baseline AI was associated with lower 1 year mortality (HR 0.94 per 1 grade increase in AI severity; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98, P Conclusions Severe AS with concomitant AI is common among patients undergoing TAVR, and is associated with lower 1 year mortality and HF hospitalization. Future studies are warranted to better understand the mechanisms underlying this benefit. Short Abstract In this nationally representative analysis from the United States, 78.1% of patients undergoing TAVR had severe AS with concomitant AI. Device success was lower in patients with severe AS with concomitant AI as compared with isolated AS. The presence of baseline AI was associated with lower 1 year mortality (HR 0.94 per 1 grade increase in AI severity; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98, P
Development and evaluation of oxadiazole core analogues for S1PR1 PET imaging study

1036 Objectives: Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) is an important target for PET imaging of neuroinflammation as well as for therapeutic intervention. A clinically suitable S1PR1 PET radiotracer will be very useful for investigating the changes of S1PR1 expression for inflammatory response in different diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, and atherosclerosis. Building on our previous efforts on development of PET radiotracers for imaging S1P1, herein, we reported our recent progress on optimization of the lead structure and further evaluation in vitro and in animal models of four new radiotracers for imaging inflammatory response in diseases. Methods: Novel S1PR1 ligands containing a trifluoromethyl group and oxadiazole core were synthesized and characterized. In vitro binding affinities were determined by competing against the binding of [32P]S1P using recombinant human S1P1 membrane. The corresponding precursors of radiotracers with high potency and selectivity for S1PR1 were synthesized with good chemical yield. The [18F]trifluoromethyl radiosynthesis was realized by employing a two-step one-pot procedure. The first step involved the [18F]trifluoromethylation incorporation by using [18F]CF3Cu generated in situ from methyl chlorodifluoroacetate, CuI, TMEDA and [18F]fluoride with the aryl iodide precursor (150 oC, 20 min), followed by removal of protecting groups with 4 M hydrochloride acid aqueous solution (150 µL, 110 oC, 5 min), In addition, other 18F-fuorobenzyl alkyl alcohol analogues were synthesized using conventional nucleophilic reaction to introduce the F-18 isotope. Each of the four F-18 labeled radiotracers were purified using reverse phase semi-preparative HPLC, and then formulated using 10% of ethanol in saline. Results: Four oxadiazole core containing new fluorous compounds were synthesized in moderate to good yield. The S1PR1 binding assay results showed these four compounds had binding affinity less than 20 nM and were selective for S1PR1 over S1PR2-5. The F-18 labeled radiotracers were successfully achieved with good yield. The specific activity of the [18F]trifluoromethyl phenyl containing radiotracers were moderate although the specific activity of 18F-fuorobenzyl alkyl alcohol radiotracers are high (>10 mCi/µM) . Conclusions: A series of new oxadiazole S1PR1 specific analogues was designed and synthesized. The in vitro competitive binding affinity assay showed four compounds exhibited high binding potency towards S1PR1 (IC50
Penetrating Giant Pseudoaneurysm of the Left Ventricle Complicating a Combined Heart-Liver Transplant

Introduction Left ventricular pseudoaneurysms (LV PsA) pose significant mortality risk and a paucity of data to guide management. We present a case of a giant LV PsA and its unique challenges to advanced options evaluation. Case Report A 58-year-old man with a history of heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction, ischemic cardiomyopathy, 3-vessel coronary artery bypass grafting, inferior LV aneurysm repair with a Dacron patch, and hepatic cirrhosis presented for advanced options evaluation given worsening HF symptoms. His course was complicated by 3 prior sternotomies for 1) a mitral valve (MV) repair; 2) a MV and tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) with a Dor-type reconstruction and bovine patch repair of a persistent LV aneurysm, 14 years prior; and 3) a mediastinal abscess exploration with redo TVR/aneurysm repair, 6 years prior. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severely reduced LV performance and a large 1.7-cm defect in the basal-mid inferior wall with to and fro flow concerning for a very large PsA (Fig. A). Computed tomographic angiography of the heart confirmed a gigantic PsA herniating through the diaphragm (Fig. B). Right heart catheterization showed elevated biventricular pressures with low cardiac output. Due to the severity of the LV PsA, the patient was deemed not to be a candidate for implantation of a durable left-ventricular assist device and was listed for dual heart-liver transplant. During the surgery, the LV PsA was noted to have invaded through the diaphragm and into the inferior vena cava and left pleural space from which it was carefully resected and the diaphragm closed (Fig. C). The patient tolerated the procedure and continues to do well 3 months after transplantation. Summary Giant LV PsA is a rare but serious complication of ischemic disease and prior cardiac surgeries that can drastically alter the advanced management of end-stage HF. Careful evaluation with multi-modality imaging is essential to procedural success.
Signaling from the RNA sensor RIG-I is regulated by ufmylation

The RNA binding protein RIG-I is a key initiator of the antiviral innate immune response. The signaling that mediates the antiviral response downstream of RIG-I is transduced through the adaptor protein MAVS and results in the induction of type I and III interferons (IFN). This signal transduction occurs at endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondrial contact sites, to which RIG-I and other signaling proteins are recruited following their activation. RIG-I signaling is highly regulated to prevent aberrant activation of this pathway and dysregulated induction of IFN. Previously, we identified UFL1, the E3 ligase of the ubiquitin-like modifier conjugation system called ufmylation, UFL1, as one of the proteins recruited to membranes at ER-mitochondrial contact sites in response to RIG-I activation. Here, we show that UFL1, as well as the process of ufmylation, promote IFN induction in response to RIG-I activation. We find that following RNA virus infection, UFL1 is recruited to the membrane targeting protein 14-3-3e, and that this complex is then recruited to activated RIG-I to promote downstream innate immune signaling. Importantly, loss of ufmylation prevents 14-3-3e interaction with RIG-I, which abrogates the interaction of RIG-I with MAVS and thus downstream signal transduction that induces IFN. Our results define ufmylation as an integral regulatory component of the RIG-I signaling pathway and as a post-translational control for IFN induction.